


Welcome to the Wasteland

by Omicron_The_IceQueen



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Moose are horses, angry horses, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:27:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 39,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26052661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Omicron_The_IceQueen/pseuds/Omicron_The_IceQueen
Summary: Vault tech was not the only company, others were scooting under their radar and not out for the blood of their clients as well as profit. Some of the decedents of one seed bunker are out and about with their Wasteland guardians. Looking for resources or, in this case, crops and other seed vaults.Please don't sass about the bow, those arrows are no joke.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 9





	1. Commonwealth Edge

The big head rested on a lump of old wood that once was a fallen tree. Valory was positioned to be not readily visible, her thick hide mottled to the environment to break up her outline. Half lounging, but more reclined on a rise, almost a large hill, she could keep a look out easily here

Her person was just down the slope working on butchering the wild dear Valory had taken down. Working without looking up and scanning every few minutes, having the rare luxury of knowing she was safe even out in the wasteland wilds.

It was a lot of trust that was placed in Valory's hands, and something that she would never dream of or consider not taking very seriously. So she laid there and watched for humans, of any variety, or some poor desperate predator that would risk crossing the scent line.

There were some nervous bleeting sounds from the doe's living calves. Valory's companion had used some rope around the base of their double necks and tied them to their own large pack animals. Creatures native to their mountain range, not here. Insisting with that soft heart of hers that they keep them as they were going to be setting up a base camp in the area.

The woman paused butchering, standing up to look around at the semi frosted area. The trees had been thining out steadily the last few days of traveling. More scrubby underbrush just starting to get some new spring leaves. Patches of exposed grey rocks in the last couple days were also showing up with power lines.

The young woman took a break to stretch and look over at the other big creatures.

Taking the place of draft horses, were three relatively massive near horses. One bull and two cows that were sometimes seeming as wide as tall, being very close to the time they would give birth.

The bull, affectionately named Buck for reasons was lifting his head to rip off the bark of the nearest tree. He had a double set of paddle like antlers, the main pair not unlike the classic antlers of moose. Just curved a little more and seemingly thicker. The rear set cresting back and then up to protect the moose's neck and make a headbut that much more painful.

He had two long packs along his sides, made of thick oiled leather and deceptively held more that it would seem. Not really the heaviest equipment but definitely the truly valuable stuff such as parts for the water purifier.

The two cows were nosing at the orphaned dear calves, quite interested in them, they had smaller thicker antlers that curved back and the points up. The older of the two had a thick leather bridle, braided reins and a clear saddle resting on her back along with smaller pack bags. While the younger cow had only packs with two small animal cages near her rump with sleeping fuzzy bundles. Though in a pinch she could carry a rider or two as well (it just would not be that comfortable).

These slightly mutated moose were as valuable as horses in far back times. If not more so, definitely better than cars being able to climb mountains. Not just valuable to Lana but Valory too. They could walk or trot all day for the long stretches, able to eat most every kind of flora, including wood to some degree if nothing else was available. Once the group had settled for a time, the cows could plow larger fields in a day, and the manure was just as valuable for that. So much good bacteria and such as well as the leftovers for fertilizing what was plowed.

And… well, Buck had already proven he could take on a 'wild' Deathclaw on his own. Making good use of his own sheer tonnage, so to say, and his sets of horns.

Lana resisted reaching up to rub her face, using the very edge of her glove to get the itch on her cheek. She regarded the carcass and the tarp that it was lying on. The discarded bits she was not sure if they were tumors or something else cut out and tossed aside.. Trying to save all the meat she could, Valory had made short work of the intestines as a snack earlier and skinning would be done once at a propper camp.

The woman sighed, hearing movement as she started to wrap the carcass up. Lana looked up as the Deathclaw started down the hill. "Ready?"

"Yess..." Valory dipped her head rather than nod, it was easier and also let her bump the flat of her head against the smaller human. "Finishing the butcher-ing later?"

Lana nodded, resisting the urge to wipe her hands, "I think I got the questionable bits all out, you had a snack with the innerads. It should be good to wrap up and finish later after we get to the place you found last night."

Hazel eyes scanned around, landing on the fawn that were tied to the moose cows. She smiled despite herself, Lana was fond of the deer-like creatures out here, they reminded her of the elk back home, and of course alike to the moose. Just with much smaller cute noses. "The girls should be able to produce milk for them… depending on how things go, we might be able to bring some home with us on the return trip if the deer bond to Luna and Grace."

The big deathclaw tilted her horn head, thinking about it but shrugged, "If they can keep up? Lots of work to keep a… big-big herd?"

"Bigger," Lana reflexively offered the right word as she chucked the questionable bits from the kill into the woods, then started to wrap the doe carcass up in the tarp.

"Bigger herd is harder to guard." Valory huffed, and once the new large bundle was wrapped she reached down. Careful and very mindful of her killing claws, Valory lifted the doe up. Three strides had her by the younger of the two female moose, and setting it over Luna's back.

"I think we can do it. They might be able to be trained." Lana said, following and reaching out to rub a small head and nose of the deer like baby. She should find someone and ask about local names. The fawn were frozen stiff, rightly afraid of Valory. But they might get desensitized to her over time. Her three moose for sure were, having grown up in the same complex both Lana and Valory had. Coexisting and making a new culture.

Though to them it was just normal.

Making sure the fawn were well secured as well as the carcass, Lana whistled for Buck's attention. The big bull huffed as he headed over, massive head lowering for a nose rub. "Good boy, I'm going to ride with you so not to get in the way of the kids."

Lana grinned, giving the command from the ground to get Buck into a bow like motion. Much easier to climb up him then trying to make a jump to get a saddle over six feet in the air.

"This way." Valory purred, the sound felt as much as heard as she motioned to the south east. Despite her mixed feelings about the fawn… it did make Valory happy to see her small pack sister happy. She started down the rest of the hill, leading the way.

The moose were already turning to follow even before Lana was fully settled in the saddle. Buck hesitated to let the cows and babies pass, taking up the rear guard. Lana was fussing, getting her riding gloves on instead of the butchering ones. Making sure her bow was in easy reach, and the quiver was attached to the saddle. Doing a quick count of the shafts and making a face. Lana needed to make more soon, maybe there was something she could use at this new place. Otherwise it was a few good days of hunting through the old trees or hoping for in an older hunting store.

Lana looked down, reaching to run her fingers through the thick, dark brown fur, it was a little more tan on Buck's neck and one should, where most was near black fur. She felt the bull rumble and did his version of a nicker, a low gutteral sound that helped calm the woman down.

It was hard going so far from home. Setting up a home base for a new area was not something new, but it was the first time Lana did not have her uncle here. Yes there was the sure protection with Her Pack sister, but Valory could not do everything.

There was still a lot of hard work to do, that involved smaller hands and time. Hard work that was worth it, being able to sleep well, have clean if not some hot water, lights and power for things. It was faster with two people and… and…

And comfortable with more family around. Her uncle was more experienced in the wastelands, where Lana was just used to the wildlands of the rockies, and the planes that were down south.

Lana yawned, squeaking a bit in surprise. The last two months of travel were starting to take a toll. Enough that once they secured this place Valory found, Lana was considering very much to just sleep for a few days.

Maybe find a way to get a warm, if not hot bath…

A snort had the woman's attention snapping back, hazel eyes scanning the brush and landscape where Buck was suddenly staring. Big ears tilted at the same spot.

Lana frowned, giving a soft whistle before nudging Buck to where his attention was. The bull huffed softer, lowering his head and tilting it so his antlers were going into his 'battle position.' It did not necessarily mean that what he picked up was a direct threat, but it was definitely something to check.

A semi distant gunshot had the woman crouching lower on the saddle and the moose's shoulder blades. Stream lining as she kicked her legs with an urging clicking sound. "Go Buck, someone might need help Val!"

The bull snorted and before launching into a lope. Buck was virtually a living tank in his own right so the underbrush did not hold up all that well- The moose however was able to see the trouble first. Head down, shifting his path and ran head first into the roughly dressed humans.

Or rather antlers first.

Three clusters of people, one was in the middle with a struggling brahmin. Two men that crouched behind things pulled off the brahmin, one scarred man in green fatigue and armor leaning over to cut the rope the other man on the ground was clutching. The other two groups were on either side, four or five on each side walking closer and yelling even as the two headed creature ran off in the gunfire.

Buck recognized the scents on a whole, bitter alcohol, old blood from several humans not belonging to the ones that wore it. Gunpowder and rusty metal. Buck swung his head, great paddles sweeping through the cluster of bad-humans. Shifting his weight the animal kicked out with a hind leg, off to a side to drive a hoove into the soft middle of one of the bad humans.

There was a soft _tich_ sound of an arrow before he sank his hindquarters and launched into a jump out of this first group. Trusting his person to hold on as he got them out of the direct line of chaos. He was not afraid of weapons fire, not even from on his back as Lana shot her pistol.

Charging in like a strange battle demon, Buck was also out of the way and shaking his head to knock off the body stuck to his antlers. Hardly silent as the haunting cry of his kind bellowed out.

Confusion and panic was abound, giving Lana valuable moments to see the second group of raiders floundering on the other side of the roadway. See the dark form running in a hunch. See the injured brahmin limping away without its former berdenand a third cluster, lots of dead- Ambushed traders? Travelers?

There was at least one person still shooting, still alive, popping up and firing a rifle as Buck was wielding around on this side of the road.

There was a not so muffled, " _Bloody fuck!"_ from the man crouched between the goods that had been knocked off the pack-animal. Furniture?

"Hold your fire!" Lana yelled at the man as Valory was looming over the second group of raiders.

Having held her silence other than loping, she pointedly timed it to roar when right behind the aggressors. Valory using the ingrained fear of her species to her advantage. She was not happy to always having to resort to it, but Valory swiped through the two humans closest. Thick muscles coiling to pounce on the third, the exposed chest making it easier to drive a killing claw into the heart.

Valory turned sharply around, using her longer tail to swipe where the other two humans were. Her tail connected with one of the humans, hearing more than feeling a crunch. Focusing on the one crawling away, reaching out to grab while glancing at the road and across it to where her pack sister was.

It seemed between Buck and a few careful shots the other four raiders were taken care of. Valory looked back to the survivor, aware of his rifle aimed at her and just grinned, "Stop that."

The rifle wavered.

"Please don't shoot my pack sister." Lana added from behind, taking careful breaths and looking worried. Her pistol loosely aimed at the survivor, not wanting to lift the firearm but also not wanting her sister to be shot at. "If you're uncomfortable we can leave,"

The scarred man hesitated, glancing away from the predator for a moment, and the eerier- intelligent, golden eyes. He was able to recognize the creature the woman was on, something else to be surprised of- though in a way it made sense that a moose of all things would survive, almost untouched. But he also paused at the young looking face watching him from its back.

Movement had the tall ghoul looking back to the deathclaw, it was cleaning its claws and walking at a deceptively slow place. Finding softer earth to dig her claws into to finish cleaning blood off. That the deathclaw was not going for him and the woman or starting on eating.

"Hold on, hang on," The man held a hand up, "Let me process things for a second."

"Take your time, I know we're… a different group to most others." The young woman (girl? Most normal humans seemed so young lately...) grinned at that, shifting in the saddle before taking her own chance glance at her mount's antlers. He could tell a scan for damage, see care for the animal and...

Taking a deep breath, the man slowly stood from where he had been crouched behind the table, some part of him noting the cosmetic damage but the thick old wood had held up. "Okay, first glaring thing that, it- you said sister, she talks?"

A distinct chuckle came from the deathclaw as it, "Yes she talks. I am very good at talking too." She walked a wide circle around the goods and scared man. Coming up behind the moose and rider, pausing to head-bump the woman.

"I thought the intelligent deathclaws were extinct… and moose for that matter." The man said, resting his rifle on his shoulder slowly. Now it was the man's turn to have a small smile as he saw two surprised expressions.

"No...they're not." Lana tilted her head, almost in time with Valory.

"We have a safe home, pack," Valory added, mostioning to Lana with a little nudge with the back of her knuckles. "We are looking for things."

Something flickered in the man's blue and red eyes, he was not not exactly relaxed but calmed down. "...well damn."

Lana exchanged a look with her pack sister, and shrugged. All things considering that was not a bad reaction.

A pained luuing from the brahmin had Lana looking over and wincing seeing a smear or few of red on its sides. She made a face and spared a glare at the nearest raider- why were they semi easy to spot now? It was almost like a work uniform from halfway to hell.

"Would you like some help? We were going to set up a home base not far, so your brahmin can rest and recover there." Lana asked and offered, turning Buck around to dare come closer to the man. Not noticing Valory kicking aside one of the raiders, keeping a pointed distance as she rose up to her full height to scan for any reinforcements.

"I think... I would like that. And maybe hear your story." The man said, glancing at the brahmin as well, then to the big moose. He offered his free hand, palm up as the bull gave a polite sniff. A large, soft nose pressing into the scarred hand before giving an approving sound.

Buck liked this new person, and rumbled at his person as she climbed down off his saddle.

"Name's Deegan," The scarred man said once the woman was facing him, offering a hand. Stuck again that the face that looked up at him seemed so young, more so when she smiled. It did not help that she was near a foot shorter than his 6 food 4 self.

"I'm Lana, this is Buck, and that's my pack sister Valory." Lana introduced, no hesitation grasping the larger hand. Though with a Deathclaw as a companion it was understandable for her to have a degree of fearlessness. She looked down at the two bodies crumpled beside them, not having gotten into a form of cover. "I'm sorry about your friends."

Deegan looked down as well and sighed, slowly putting his rifle on his back. Very aware out of the corner of his eye he was being watched intently as soon as the weapon started moving. "One I know had a brother, should see if I can find him once things settle."

The scarred man stooped checking pockets and slipping the jacket off the older of the two dead guards. Folding it and his things into a bag, taking the time to do this for both.

It said something good about him for Lana as she scanned the goods dropped, but then moved to the brahmin down the road a bit.

The brahmin was a bull, with unbroken 'c' shaped horns and… Lana tilted her head, seemed to be intact. She paused, yet the brahmin proved to be very imprinted on people as the short bull started limping to her. Both heads extending noses in the want for reassurance, prompting Lana to hold her hands palms up, "Hey there young man."

"He should be friendly." Deegan called, gathered supplies in a pack slung over his back, a few things as he started to come over. "I've had him for a few years now."

One leathery nose pressed against Lana's forearm as she focused on the right head, while the other reached for the taller man. He rubbed at the soft hide face, the brahmin was still young and had not been bothered by too much radiation. The man smiled in a way that made his scarred face look calmer, not unlike Lana's uncle who still had laugh lines through his own radiation scarring.

"It doesn't look like he was hit in the legs," Lana said as she shifted to look down the flank on her side.

Deegan nodded, moving to check the beastie over as the bull calmed down enough to start chuffing. Finding grazed wounds and a few punctures around what was left of the cargo pad and few small bits left on it, "I might need to find someone experienced with pulling bullets out of brahmin, I don't think anything has gone past the muscle..."

"I'm not exactly sure," Lana said apoligeditly, glancing at Buck that was slowly walking over, ears up and puzzled expression on his long face. "If it was an elk or a moose... I only saw a brahmin for the first time last year when one of my aunts brought a small herd home."

"Really?" The man looked surprised and then grinned, glancing at the moose, "Makes sense. How far out are you? I originally came from up the south before the war."

"I'm from the north west… well north midwest? The rookie mountains." Lana brightened up at the recognition from the blue and red eyes.

"Really now?" There was a lot of interest in Deegan's eyes- and he turned to look at Valory, who was standing beside the two cows. "Wait, are you from, what was it called, Green Seed Bunker? Where Richard was from."

He watched as the young woman brightened up even more, "You know my uncle?"

"It's been a few decades, but yes." Deegan nodded, it was a strange, but welcome feeling in his chest under his armor plate. "I worked with him, and he was looking for something, I think a vault."

"Supposedly there's a seed vault in the area." Lana nodded, excited about this idea, though kept a careful eye as both bulls started to sniff at one another. Yet being completely different species seemed to help. "Not sure if anyone is still taking care of it, how much or if anything is still viable, but I want to try and find it. And to see what crops my Uncle had mentioned, some kind of grain and he brought tatos home."

"Probably razor grain." Deegan explained, willing to leave the rest of things on the roadway, "He had a big sack, but if I remember right, Richard gave it and half his fresh tatoes to a family that was uprooted from raiders."

"That sounds like my uncle." Lana nodded, and picked up that the scarred man was ready motioned to the east side of the road. "Valory found a place for us that way, we didn't know there was a road… kinda glad we missed it… Sorry, do you need anything else there?"

Deegan shook his head, glancing back but took the lead of the bull, it was wrapped around the base of the thicker right neck. "No, maybe I'll come back after a bit and see what's still there. The important things are in my bag and still on the brahmin. There are a few places around, just have to be careful with your… sister. Not many if at all would have heard those stories of aware deathclaws this far east."

The man turned his boots to where said deathclaw was, off the road and onto the earth as Lana nudged Buck's big head around. Walking with Deegan and also putting the moose between Valory and the brahmin. Deegan nodded his thanks, "How long have you two been traveling?"

"Over two months, just ahead of the snow back home," Lana shook her head, "It fell when we were in the lower valley and just started off so I could be here around planting season."

"Must have been cold," Deegan chuckled, glad there was not much snow in the Commonwealth except around the new years. "I was never that fond of the cold and its not much better after becoming a ghoul."

"Ghoul?" Lana squinted a bit, "What's that? I don't think I've heard that term before."

Edward Deegan stopped, a brahmin head nudging his right arm and poking his side with a blunted horn, staring down at the confused hazel eyes tilted up at him.

Well this was a new situation for Deegan.


	2. Co-op

"Why stag for them all though?" Lana asked, frowning as she glanced down at her feet careful of the loose rocks. Even the big moose had slowed their pace and were waiting at the incline to go down one at a time. "I thought 'stag' was only for the males, another world for a buck? Like elk?"

Deegan flashed a smile as he heard a snort from Buck below them, the bull lifting his head to look back, "I'm not sure when the name rad-stag stuck, I think it was about a hundred and... twenty something years ago that the name started becoming common."

The ghoul was taking his time as they talked, well aware of the eerily quiet deathclaw standing at her full height behind them. Scanning for any threats as the group moved down the sharper incline of this hill. The road path would cut too far east before hooking around near the overpass south of them. Deegan was alright with the current path so far. As this was the biggest challenge so far, he had to give Valory credit for finding a safe route.

A worried sound from the brahmin had the man focusing back at the task at hand, leading the bull down the slope. Kicking a few too big and loose rocks out of the way. The brahmin had a much shorter stride then the moose, and could not take the exact same steps where Buck and the cow were already downhill. Lana was just starting to go down with the second fawn as Deegan's feet hit more level ground.

"Even the doe are called stags?" Lana's voice drifted down, that almost innocent confused tone had Deegan laughing softly.

Then again some more as he realized what confused the young woman. "Radstag does. Ridiculous isn't it?"

Lana grinned down at him as she managed the still nervous fawn as the oldest cow was just starting down. Her hood was down and the semi short strawberry blond hair a little bit of a poofy mess. At least it was not in her eyes thanks to a little yellow headband. Her black leather like jacket was open for the warming late morning. But the girl- young woman Deegan reminded himself- had solid boots and relatively newish looking jeans, not something ward thread thin.

Edward Deegan took great pride in being able to get a good read on people. Always on the lookout for people he could rely on, use for jobs yes, but also that his family might like. It was not all for guards at the asylum, or in house help with the family at the manor. Though poor Linda was getting ready to pass on, he needed to find some more help then just for her but the misses.

...though Wilhelmina was doting on the poor old girl right now. They had taken her in at 12 and now at old age...

Yes, Deegan was good at judging the character of people, for over two hundred years. Good for finding help in and out of the manor, finding people that could help them, or be help for the Cabot's mental health. Keep them grounded.

That also meant finding help in other ways. As odd as his extended family was, they still needed to eat and drink, and needed the same basic needs as everyone else despite their age.

If this kiddo _really was_ one of Richard's living descendants, and considering how proud the ghoul had been of his brothers' surviving kids and wife. The good, if warn in clothes and shoes, the healthy if semi lean build that was mostly standard in the wasteland. Lana definitely had no lack of protein with her guardian, but Deegen could tell someone who had no lack of food growing up.

...and the living breathing intelligent deathclaw as added proof. Well this was an opportunity of all hell.

Enough so Deegan was skimming through the names and faces of people in the back of his head as he talked with both Lana and Valory. The matriarch was turning out to have a decent sass-pants side, though thankfully she seemed to like Deegan well enough.

The fact still remained that Deegan was traveling with a resident of a seed bunker. Someone who kept getting distracted but the struggling spring greenery and lingering winter blooms. Someone he would bet his right arm that had some of those seeds in the big saddle bags on the moose.

But also... _What was in those animal cages?_

Well worth making sure to know where Lana and Valory were settling before leaving himself, if not lending a helping hand. Deegan's family were well stocked at the manor and safe for the next month or so at least.

A cuffing from the two headed brahmin and a nudge at his elbow for attention, and the man turned to run a scared hand over the broad left head. Giving into the demand for attention and comfort as the small bull was still hurting from the gunshot wounds.

Once they were all down did Valory slide herself down the rocks and huffed back at Luna. Standing in a slouching posture as she walked on hind legs, big tail working as counterbalance, "Almost there, see big pipe up there?"

Valory motioned to the west, slightly north, and Lana looked up from tying the fawn up to Grace's saddle. "Yeah?"

"We're following it now."

Deegan paused before he recognized the area at last. It took a bit as he was coming from a different angle as they started down the rest of the gradual slope, "The old Co-op camp?"

"I do not know that word...coh-ahp?" Valory tilted her head, looking back at Lana.

"I think it's like the farmer's market?" The young woman frowned, then looked up at a chuckle from Deegan.

The scared man smiled, "You still have farmer's markets where you're from? Just food?"

"Not just food." Lana nodded in confirmation. "Not everyone lives in the bunker proper anymore. The valleys are safe and we're lucky to have the moss on all the buildings and in the water. But some pre-war people... ghouls?- they still have tanning skills and a lye deposit for soups and other cleaners. Trees didn't get hit as hard so there's woodworking. Enough smaller villages in the overall community to get together and have a market every week or two."

"That must be the foundations Richard was talking about," Deegan said softly to himself thinking back, and louder added, "It sounds like you guys are lucky enough not to deal with raiders or just highwaymen to get to that."

The ghoul man tilted his head at Valory, as she paused up ahead to sniffed at a flowering hub-bush.

"When did you guys meet deathclaws?" Deegan asked, watching as Lana started to drift a bit to where her pack sister was, looking very curious at the new plant as well. "I don't think I've heard of a talking deathclaw, except once not that long after the war, when they were, and back in California."

"We came from the eldest of us, who saved the Last Old Matriarch," Valory stepped aside, settling in a half crouch half sit position only deathclaws seemed to be able to do.

"Grandpa Goris and Grandma Chichi." Lana put in, knowing enough how much to say to stay safe but also make sense. "Goris was fleeing California after someone called the Master' died, his original pack had been murdered. But he found one surviving egg and left with it. Just heading over the Rocky Mountains before stopping on our mountain. The egg had since hatched and became a breeding size female."

Lana shrugged as they stopped by the bush. It was as good as any spot to take a rest while talking. "They took shelter in an old tunnel, it was connected to the vent systems of the bunker, or what would have been another part of the bunker...and it was just pure chance and dumb luck from there. Chichi never knew what humans were, didn't see them as a possible food source. So when one of the kids back then found her and the nest they were just odd play buddies to the hatchlings."

"That's hell of some luck." Deegan sighed a bit, not sure how he would handle any of the kids in his charge from before to after the war finding a deathclaw den. Let alone becoming playmates with hatchlings. "How did the rest of the bunker find out?"

"It was a while later believe it or not," Lana tilted her head, "The adults of both groups were hunting for game on completely the opposite sides of the mountain and valleys. It wasn't until a wild moose almost killed one of those original kids, and a half grown deathclaw saved him that anyone knew. On either side. And even then those in the bunker had no idea what deathclaws even were."

"Elder Goris still thinks it's funny, he had to explain it to everyone, humans and pack... a few times." Valory put in, and then distinctly rolled her eyes as Lana was poking at the purple flowers. Motioning to the young woman with the first two knuckles of her left hand, claws kept folded.

Deegan chuckled, reaching out to pick two of the flowers. Showing Lana the flower and softer green leaves, "Hub flowers. The flowers and the smaller leaves are good for tea and some chems."

"Sorry," Lana ducked her head a bit sheepishly, but she had been wanting to ask the moment she spotted the new flowers. The young woman looked a bit surprised as a scarred hand lifted to ruffle her hair, before Deegan finished picking the full blooms.

"It's alright Lana, You're uncle was not that different." Deegan assured, a good handful of flowers for them, it was a bigger bush, and tea sounded good for that night. He pointed out the fully developed seed pods. Watching her eager to take them. "Save those, it's not often the hub bush manages a full seed pod. At least from what I've seen nearer Boston."

Probably they were stripped pretty fast to even go to seed.

Lana turned the pod around in her hand, reminded of a rose hip, but larger, almost twice the size. She glanced at the hub-bush, noting its roots and now it was supported by the tree mostly. The main root branches were not all the way in the ground now.

Something to come back and poke at. For now she, Deegan and Valory started off again, and Lana was happy she had not sat down for the rest. She wanted back up on Buck, but it seemed rude to do so.

"Anyways, where were we?" Lana asked, hesitating as she saw the pipe come out of the ground and curve wide to the east then up north.

"Goris I think?" Deegan offered shifting the rifle on his shoulder and avoiding some jutting rocks while heading down what seemed to be a game trail. Keeping that large pipe to his right for the most part, some distance needed to keep to safer footing.

"Right, he's the one that really helped negotiate peace with the adults back then," Lana gave a snort, "'Young and dumb' kids on both sides just... got a long for some reason. Over the years in the harsher winters the Deathclaws were aloud deeper and deeper in the bunker. The humans started to help take care of eggs after the first...two years."

"Spaces where we fit." Valory snorted, twitching her tail. Still mildly miffed at outgrowing a lot of the rooms in the old bunker proper.

"As I understand it, there was no bias to Deathclaws to start with, or the new generations of deathclaws against the humans. Its like what you said, a few big strokes of luck, but I think it helped that, that one deathclaw saved his friend. I think it helped too that everyone in the community were used to the radiation scarred people like you, and that the older members were already surviving botanist and biologist used to documenting changes."

"Lots of luck seems like a good thing to happen." Deegan agreed, he had come across old deathclaw nests, had taken the time to examine them once it was for sure safe. He had seen the damage to bones and few bits of corpses that were too far gone even for the wild beasts. Pretty much everything under the sun was found.

The man pointed to a lard red thing ahead of them, slightly to his right and where the land leveled out for a semi distance. "See that over? The co-op should be on the other side of those old grain or water silos."

Lana turned and stood on her toes to try and peer over the rocks. "Kinda see them..."

Deegan chuckled again, starting again and once more ruffling the young woman's hair with his free hand. Laughing at the face she made and pulling up her hood, sticking her tongue out at the man. "That's probably because you're short, come on."

"I'm not that short!" Lana, who stood at five foot three and a half inches, protested.

"She's very short." Valory agreed, chittering her own natural laughter sound.

"Everyone is short to you Val, you're almost two stories tall!"

"Still a shortie kiddo." Deegan was grinning wider as his new companion puffed her cheeks before skittering over to Buck.

The big bull grumbled happily at his person coming over, dipping his mass to let Lana climb up into the saddle. The woman made a face and puffed her cheeks as she looked around.

"Still short my soft one," Valory pointed out, coming over to carefully bump her head against Lana. It was a clear affectionate motion, even when Lana tied to slap at the broad head and horns. The interaction is not unlike how a parent was trying to embarrass their kid or just a younger family member using overt shows of family.

It was interesting, and made Deegan relax another part of his guard in regards to these too. Listening to the teasing between them, even seeing Buck huff and try to lightly smack Varory when her bulk started to be too much for him. They came across a few more hub-bushes and carrot flowers that Deegan picked, using the edge of his armor and right strap to hold them.

The man un-slung his riffle off his shoulder as they started to draw closer to the old silos. Glancing up at Lana "Last time I passed by this way… a few months ago? There was a herd of ferals. You're...Lost Ones you called them?"

"Yes, how many?" Lana asked, focusing back now that her guardian was walking again. She did start zipping her jacket up again, making sure nothing was in the hood and the mask part.

"Back then, about a dozen, it could be that or a few at this point." Deegan allowed, the man stopping once they were at the silos, staring past where the semi ring of rustic cabins were. Rustic by old world standards. Still in pretty good shape nowadays.

"It's possible an 'ouch.'" Lana noted more then asked, hearing Deegan's soft laugh as she arranged her quiver and bow in hand now.

Sensing eyes on her, the woman glanced back at the scarred man. Paused and squinted a bit back.

"Did Richard teach you how to use that?" Deegan asked, motioning to the bow, arching an eyebrow ridge.

Lana huffed, puffing her cheeks, "Uncle and Auntie Alexis taught me when I was little. I've been using a bow and arrows since I was six."

"Eight." Valory corrected, and when Lana looked over she held up big hands, claws spread, "Eight years was when you started to target practice for hunting. Used my side several times before with the foam ...darts."

Deegan's low laugh came again, "Good, as long as you know what your doing Lana."


	3. Cabins

There was sometimes a misconception about ghouls, the lake of a nose did not mean the lack of a sense of smell. Not really, maybe a muting but no lack of smell. Just a lack of protection for the sinuses.

The scared ones back home had to make sure to wear adaptive scarfs in winter. Masks for those in dustier areas and such.

The Lost Ones as Lana knew the ferals by first, were deceptively adept with their sense of smell. Nearly as good as some animals at shorter ranges. Lana remembered the theories back in class, mostly, as she was concentrating right now. Something that happened in the mutation, a blocking out of once higher thoughts or a reverting back to primal state.

She did know that she was one of the very few unaltered humans that did not over worry about. Not with the scent of Deathclaw on her clothes, the black leather of her outfit was special. For a few reasons but the most was that Lana smelled like Valory.

Lana did not smell like most people the Lost Ones were used to chasing, far from it. She knew how to use it to her advantage.

The young woman had lighter steps then Deegan, able to slip around him and into the spot just to the side of the door of this first cabin with little creeks in the porch. Waiting for the man to get up next, he was not as used to how to stay quiet with boots but reached for the door, peering through the windows.

"Just one in here." Deegan said, his voice a low rumble that reminded Lana of her Uncle. The man reached for the door with his left hand, his rifle in the other but stepped to the side. Blue and red eyes met hazel, noting the notched arrow and how she was completely covered, and then opened the door fully.

There was no rush to start shooting, but a soft whistle from Lana that had the crumpled form inside stirring. Uncurling from the loose fetal position the once human, gargled an attempt to...mimic? The soft sound.

It was an odd moment, watching the feral get to hands and knees, but not rushing at the human… it seemed confused, worried almost as it sniffed.

"Come on, stand up." Deegan encouraged, making his voice reassuring in the way he found ferals responded well to him when he was alone. Them seeing him as another of them just...taller, and bigger. More than once over the centuries Deegan had woken up in a seemingly empty place with a feral trying to curl up beside him.

Not the best way to wake up…

This feral was shivering, standing in the middle of the room, glassy grey eyes roaming around as if trying to find something. It took a first one shuffling step, then another. Standing beside Deegan's outstretched arm, head tilting to the scarred hand.

"I'm sorry." Lana said softly, pulling back on her bow a little more and that titch sound and the feral wheezed. Boney hands starting to lift before sagging.

Deegan caught the feral, tilting his head to avoid the arrow and pulled the limp form out of the cabin and down the stairs. "Not bad Lana." The man pulled out the arrow, using a boot edge to be sure little clung to it as he handed it back to the woman, feathers first. "As far as I can tell nothing is under the cabin from here."

Lana nodded, notching the arrow again, it was one of her metal ones for being reused many, many times for clearing out like this at closer range.

"Thanks," Lana smiled and nodded to the next cabin down from this top one. "Shall we go counter clockwise, and just start with the cabins?"

"Yeah, I think that would be a good idea." Deegan glanced to where the herd was. Some of his rope used to make a new lead to keep the brahmin tied to a tree. The moose lingering near, cows alternating between nibbling and keeping watch while Buck stood only about ten feet away. Head and horns held high and watching the once settlement intently.

A chuffing like sound from Valory turned his attention to where the deathclaw was. Valory was crouched beside the second biggest building, thrumming a low subsonic sound to wake up what was inside and drive them out to get to the ferals.

The bull moose followed Lana more than Deegan as they made their way to each cabin. Lana looked interested in the cabin that had no back wall, touching the edges of damage before walking to the next place. She was happy to be able to clear most of the co-op without having to resort to their guns. If only because Lana did not like the idea of all the Lost Ones running around at the same time.

That sort of thing was a pain, harder to pick a target and could draw even more attention from other sources.

Deegan had pulled out a long combat knife as they found a cabin with two ferals. Deftly quiet and efficient with the blade after coaxing a Lost One near him, making sure that the stab of the blade was quick. Though seeing one that had the dregs of a dress clinging to them and a little wooden toy car clutched in hand, trying to lean against Deegan's shoulder with a wheezing sigh nearly broke Lana's heart.

She still fired her arrow behind the man's back and into the eye socket of the Lost One.

Lana was rolling over the words of an old pray, something she had learned so long ago she could not remember, wishing the feral beings some peace in a long sleep.

"I've always wondered how much really remains," Lana said softly, watching the scarred man set down the last Lost One in the spring grass outside the last cabin. She glanced back over her shoulder to see Valory caring away those they had already laid outside four at a time to the south west.

"Maybe a little bit, but not that much." Deegan said as he rested his clean hand on Lana's shoulder, giving a reassuring squeeze, heading to the largest building. Checking the outside much like the cabins.

Lana used a wrist to rub the side of her head through her hood and mask before walking after. "I wish they weren't so aggressive but, well, I am happy they can finally rest too."

"Interesting way of putting it." Deegan thought aloud, "Richard I think said something alike that. He used to clear buildings for settlers back in the day."

"I was taught the Lost Ones can be left alone for the most part, but if possible it was good to help them rest finally. I don't think we have any in a few hundred mile radius out of the park."

"Park?" Blue and red eyes glanced over, noting the dimming light of the day. Inside the bigger building, small warehouse, there was only one feral that had not made it outside. An arrow took care of them.

Lana slung her bow and moved to help drag the creature outside with Deegan, not that hesitant with grabbing a limb. Though careful with the arm as it seemed… loose.

"Yeah..." Lana hesitated before shrugging as they were outside, the feral resting with the others that Valory had taken care of. All together about a dozen or so in the co-op. "One of the national parks. The town in the valley below was cleared, survivors taken back to the bunker while they finished changed after the bombs dropped."

"You're grandfather and uncle had their heads on right." Deegan approved, though he always liked finding more people that really did value ghouls. His extended family included.

"I'd like to think so." Lana paused and grinned as she pulled her mask off starting back to where they had left the brahmin. "Random Deathclaws aside."

"Some sheer dumb luck regardless for that." Deegan shook his head, scanning the cabins and pointed to the last one they had cleared. "That one would be the best to camp the night in. we can put the packs in the warehouse next to it and the fawn."

It was oddly nice saying that last world, something that echoed from the past in a good way.

"Shouldn't be hard to keep the critters in, or make a barrier that the girls can get over but the kids can't." Lana glanced back, turning to walk backwards for a few moments, taking smaller steps until Deegan caught up. She reached to Buck as he came over, seeming much more relaxed. "That way the moose can get some grazing in before bed… I probably won't hang the doe carcass up in there though."

"That doesn't seem right, but there's here." Deegan motioned to the second largest building. "It should be good for the night, at least until morning."

"I think you're right, I'm a lot more tired than I thought." Lana agreed as they retrieved the animals while Valory cleaned up the bodies. By the time it was hung on a chain and hock from Lana's pack, and the deathclaw had settled down the sun was setting.

Lana was carefully dropping the saddle packs as Deegan cut some food cuts of meat. The man paused as he listened to the big, virtual ground dragon walk by….and he turned back to the hanging rad stag. Doe? Deegan cut a few more bigger chucks to add to the try he was using. Re-wrapping the carcasses after he was done.

He could put away a few good stakes, and Lana showed him what size she wanted. It still seemed wise to cut something for Valory.

Judging by the purr as he passed Valory to the cooking fire they had set up, good idea. "Didn't know what cuts you like, hope a rump roast is okay?"

"I do not mind, had some earlier. But cooked meat seems...sounds good." Valory said as she was shifting on the soft grass, curling her tail around her legs. Killing claws tucked up as the matriarch just seemed happy to be off her feet.

There was a grill over top of the fire now that was not there before, and a cast iron pan heating up. The man smiled as he settled carefully on one of the chairs brought over. There was a small bag that was filled with several jars of dried season and one wet. Deegan picked that up and opened the lid, giving an experimental sniff.

"It's a little spicy." Lana warned coming out of the warehouse building, she had her sleeping roll, two moss filled pillows and fur blanket in her arms.

"It smells like jalapeno peppers…?" Deegan looked up with a questioning tone, and could not help but smile and brighten up. "God, it's been a long time since I had anything with proper heat and flavor."

"It has jalapeno and yellow wax peppers in that jar. Plus a LOT of tomatoes, a type of tato and a bunch of seasons all fermented into a marinade." Lana explained as she walked to the cabin they had picked. "I got the other pillow for you, I just saw your blanket."

The man smiled as he found a spoon and brush that smelled like the peppers, and a canteen of clean water, though 'stew start' was written on the side. Deegan paused and picked up the canteen, tapping it and realized it was not metal or plastic, but felt like wood?

He shook his head and turned to the steaks, using the food brush and smearing a semi thin layer of marinade on the steaks. Dropping a few chunks of fat he had cun into the pan first. Picking out some dried herbs that he knew for the carrots and other vegs in the bag.

"Do you like the marinade Valory?" Deegan asked, glancing up, still investigating the little cooking bag of goodies. Finding salt and… pepper corns?

Definitely worth staying and making peace as well as friends.

"Yes...please." Valory opened her eyes, head resting on the ground still. "Not all the way cooked?"

"She likes it warm and just seared on the outside. I have a lot more marinade." Lana called, translating partly.

"Steaks or full roast?"

"...thick cut- steak? With sea-son on one side?" The deathclaw asked, the voice had a neutral growl but also just a simple honest hope for the thing. Not unlike a child asking for something.

Valory knew perfectly well that this was a human skill, cooking and frying was for smaller hands. Best to stay polite!

Deegan agreed, chuckle as he set the first stakes into the heated pan and grease, "I can do that."

"Thank you."

"I'll try to start up a stew tomorrow for everyone." Lana said from the porch, tossing out the old mattresses over the railing. Two thick tarps folded up on the bed frames inside, another frame had been brought over and pushed inside, as well as a low steamer trunk at the foot. Lana was trying to keep Deegan's height in mind so the man could prop his feet up instead of them dangling off the bed.

"How do you like yours Lana?"

"On the more done side of mid rare please." The young woman said coming down, plopping down in a chair and propping her own feet on a rock. Bow and quiver were carefully dropped beside her.

Tired from the long trip, used to the safety provided by her guardian and pack sister she does after a minute. Zoned out maybe as the adult moose wandered past. Freed from packs and saddles they were grazing almost gleefully on the fresh grass.

Deegan could take a moment to sit back, smiling to himself at this odd family. Letting himself enjoy the moment of peace he did not find too often outside of the Manor.

He could understand Lana relaxing before cutting up the carrots, two types, one being a dark orange, thick but not as wide as the ones Deegan had gotten used to. Sweeter too when he was given a slice to munch on, though the other type was a bit earthy in comparison and white-

"Are those parsnips?" The scared man asked taking the offered, second white disk.

"Yep!" Lana grinned, motioned to the cow Grace, who had her fawn well trained to follow her around and was already producing milk for a snack. That had Lana starting to eye with a thoughtful look. She had been keeping an eye on her moose as they started to bag up (started to produce milk) only a few days ago before meeting the ghoul.

When she spoke up again Lana was a little distracted, honestly thinking of some gravy to go with the venison steaks. "One of the few things I grow on the road, they just grow on the outside of the mail packs in a modified grow bag."

"That's not such a bad idea, do the moose mind the extra weight?" Deegan asked, not yet aware of the plotting. He flipped the steaks and brushed a little more of the marinade on.

"No, we travel relatively light on the way out to a place. Dried food and water filter, but normally have more of the moss than anything to spread."

"Moss?" The scared man looked up, blue and red eyes blinking before lifting an eye ridge, "What moss?"

Lana brightened up and got up, "Oh! I didn't explain that to you yet! It's really neat, and something that mutated-semi developed in the wild around home and we rely on it."

The young woman dipped into the building that had her packs, coming back with a few egg gourds in hand. "It's the same moss that's in the pillows but that's dried. I only have three pillows worth left outside of what I'm using for the seeds and feeding the rabbits."

Rabbits?

"So that's what's in those cages." Deegan said aloud, and at a puzzled look he grinned. "I was wondering but...Luna you called her? Did not seem happy with me too close to her."

"She's a bit grumpy." Lana agreed, paused and added with a snicker, "Well, grumpy on good days, bitchy and bity on bad days. I'm lucky to be one of the few people she likes, so that's why I brought her. Also really good defense at night."

Valory gave a soft huff and a low, tired chuckle. Her eyes closed but the deathclaw was still listening in.

"...when the blatant defense lady is sleeping or off hunting and scouting." Lana added, and rolled her eyes. "But that's why the animal cages are with Luna, she'll defend them out of spite to the world. Keeps the buns and birds safe."

"May I ask what you have?" Deegan asked, turning to face Lana, elbows on knees and looking slightly too big for the chair he was sitting in. Motion to the gourds and then to where the critter cages are.

"Animal wise I have a breeding stock of a quail mix, and a rabbit mix that's been our staples." Lana explained, "I can show you in the morning when it's light out, the rabbits are just in breeding size but I've separated them for a while. And this is some of our radexes."

Lana held one of the small gourds, it was about the side of her hand and in a rough egg shape. Maybe a little more like a Mirelurk egg in mini. It had a twin hinge set on the back and a tie in the front. When Lana opened it she showed Deegain the greenery starting inside.

It was moss, a healthy dark green shade that was a mix of thick strands. Like...well a moss, rounded and peeking through was several white sprouts, just starting to think about making leaves.

Deegan reached out, a mix of confusion and some surprise. The gourd was smaller in his hands, sitting in his palm as he touched one of the unfurling seeds. It was one thing to know there were pre-war plants still around, and another to see it. Even the second time as the spiced scent rolled up out of the pan.

"We use radexes for a lot of things, on the buildings out of the bunker. Roofs and walls, it's pretty heavily mixed with wild plants now. It grows rapidly with radiation and converts it to non harmful energy. Makes up most of the diet of the moose and elk back home. Also good cushioning for hatchling deathclaws and kids alike." Lana laughed, happy to talk about the moss.

"It uses radiation?" Deegan asked looking up, stopping most thoughts from their swirl in his mind. Letting this fact sink in.

"In basics it eats rads. The moss mutated like a year or three before the bombs dropped." Lana explained as she opened another gourd to show a mix of the dark green moss and plant starts that were a little bigger, farther along with closed leaves. "Grandfather's team back then noticed it as they were drilling out the seed bunker. At first it was pretty invasive but after the bombs dropped something happened at a generic level. I'm not exactly sure, my Aunties are better at that part of botany. I'm more use to the practical side… will probably take a class once I'm back home."

Lana looked up, and reached to take the steaks off. The motion gets Deegan to automatically move to offer the plastic plates he had in his pack. The filled the cast iron pan with as much of the cut roast as it could hold to cook one side as requested.

"You said this moss was used in buildings? Does it damage them?" Deegan asked as he turned to Lana again, letting this new factor settle in his mind and giving himself a chance to understand what he was learning. Not unlike how Edward did when listening to Jack rant away when he had a glass or two too many of whiskey or, gods forbid, bourbon.

"No, maybe a milometer or two of a surface is technically used as an anchor. Pre and post war vines still can do more damage than the moss." Lana held up chunk or living moss, only shifting as she moved it. It was not alive like a horror movie, just moss. "It helps insulate against radiation heavy rain, the water filters out mostly clean. We still clean our water though, you know with bugs and such."

"Lana," Deegan hummed and looked up as his thoughts started to settle. "This is truly safe?"

The young woman paused at the time she heard, head tilting at the soft spoken intensity. Trying to identify what she heard. "Yes, we wouldn't use it so much if it wasn't. I mean we can't really get that much use out of radexes other than utility or for grazing animals… but it's a safe building block for ecosystems to try and rebuild. Invaluable for helping crops, and well, insulation."

Lana set her gourd down and reached to touch the man's closer wrist, the sound off the pan hissing softly beside them. "I wasn't kidding that those of us that travel spread it. It's not a trail for others to follow but to try and get something, anything growing again in areas that were more devastated. Something to help people heal and rebuild."

"It's a good thing you have someone protecting you," Deegan glanced at Valory, who had opened a golden eye to quietly watch. "Honestly if you didn't I would offer to take you back to the Manor. As it is, I would like to stay a while to make sure you're safe. That you two know what's around the Commonwealth." The man turned his hand, shifting the sort of pot that held the seeds that looked a little familiar. Wrapping the scared fingers around the smaller hand.

"I'd appreciate it, there's always threats that even Valory can't beat into the ground, or be skewered on antlers." Lana gave a smaller smile.

"I need to find a map tomorrow." The scarred man said with a deep breath, letting himself start to think again, to skim through names and faces again. He huffed and smirked, "Wouldn't have watermelon in those magic bags would you?"

"Not the melons, some butternut and acorn squash." Lana tilted her head, thinking, "Got some seeds though."

"...I think I'd fix that porch for some of those seeds, and to look at any others you have."


	4. Foreboding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Canon typical violence in this chapter. Deegan goes into post-apocalyptic 'business' mode. Also? Raiders and interrogation of said raiders. I am not trying to go into too much fine detail about that.

Raiders were, in a few words, _a pain in the ass_ for Edward Deegan.

Over two centuries and he was still… _displeased_ about them, their actions, their unashamed want for violence, just plan getting in the way of his work. Wanting to deface history and getting in the way of rebuilding some semblance of society. Though he did appreciate most of their innate lack of intelligence.

Like in this case. Having spotted the little shack house, sort of cabin that was just down the hill from the co-op. Deegan may have dismissed it for a bit but for spotting a lit candle in the pre-dawn light. It was not hard to leave out of sight behind the cabinets, warning Valory in her new hollow dug into the ground that there might be some gun fire.

The big man did not need as much sleep as Lana did, not with a good seven hours of undisturbed rest. Having a deathclaw, three moose and a brahmin on constant semi alert as herd animals were. Mostly the moose in this case, his bull had spent most of the night dosing and resting.

Deegan narrowed his eyes, coming up quietly on three fingers. Not settlers attracted to the buildings and location, but those dressed in the rough scrap armor and smelled of chems and blood. A woman and two men talking about the possible new person, Deegan standing almost right up behind them.

He caught words, the intent of, also had a snippet of information about a bunker hatch in the chapel. It was all the ghoul needed as he stepped forward, knife in one hand, shotgun in the other.

Using his height to his advantage, Deegan sank his combat knife into the woman's head. At the same time firing the shotgun. Most of the first shot hitting the first man in the unprotected spine, about a third of the shot hitting the third man into staggering. Deegan lifted his shotgun as he turned to the last one, firing again at the head before the raider looked up.

Blue and red eyes slid to the first man, sprawled out on his front, arms twitching but hands and legs limp. Walking around him, the ghoul fetched his blade, his voice losing the soft edge from the night before and sounding like coarse gravel. "How many are in your crew?"

The raider man twitched and gasped, frantically trying to look around but unable to move his head. "Wha- the fuc- you do?"

Deegan glanced up the hill but no one was looking. The ghoul looked back down, his gaze shifting harder as he planted a boot on the unprotected back. Getting a gargling, mostly muffled cry of pain out of it. "That wasn't an answer."

"Jesa- crist- stopstopstoop-" the raider gasped into the dirt, and when a little pressure easier off his back the man tried to shutter. "Two doz- three? In the stash- rasion? I can't feel my legs…."

"Buckshot to the spine will do that to you." Deegan glanced around as he reloaded two shells, very much aware of his own armor, the reassuringly heavy plates that protested him back and front. Something he would not not take off now until this raider infestation was taken care of.

He had only taken his armor off last night under Valory's extended protection to clean it.

"Help-?"

Deegan regards the man twitching again before stopping. Shotgun on his shoulder, he grasped a handful of greasy hair and lifted the head a bit. The dangerous growl rising in Deegan's throat, "Who's your boss?"

There was an unintelligible sound.

Deegan snarled lowly, sifting more of his weight onto the foot resting on the raider's back. His voice was not rising, no yelling, but keeping low and seemed to get more intense, dangerous, "What is your boss' name? And then the pain will stop."

"Red!" The man gasped, trying to twitch away but his body still would not move. "Red-red- Red Tou-ret-te! Tourette!"

Something stirred in the scarred man's memory and Deegan snorted. The combat knife flashed as he ended the raider's pain as promised. The ghoul pulled the blade out and took a moment to clean it with the early spring grass, standing up he scanned around. No sign of other raiders, nor movement from up hill.

He checked the few pockets, gathered up some caps and the weapons. The ghoul checked the cabin-shack, took the candles after blowing them out, and put whatever was useful in an old trunk to carry back up to the co-op. That was set on the ground before Deegan dragged the bodies a bit away, two at a time and then the last one.

Out of easy sight from any detection. No used to panicking the raiders before he was ready to.

Then blue-red eyes turned on the chapel that sat alone. Metaphorically keeping one an eye on the ground for tracks as he walked to the old building. Overgrown with vines and hub-bushes, there were only three sets of recent tracks. Two men and a woman, from what he could tell the woman had been there longer, walking around in the chapel for a while last night... and tried to barricade the front door?

Remembering the rough path Valory took last night, Deegan chuckled. Likely the raider had seen the deathclaw 'wandering' past and waited until dawn to venture out with the so called reinforcements.

"Now where would… ah." The tall man walked over to a hatch, and, finding it unlocked he couched, shotgun held in one hand like a pistol. Deegan lifted the hatch slowly, barrel sliding in first just in case. Only warm but not quite stale air welled up and out, no unexpected faces climbing up. He could pick up the scent of old smoke, cigarettes, faintly of an improvised latrine.

Deegan set the hatch down gently. He all but stacked old pews on top of it and walked back out. Retracing his steps to the truck and carrying that back to camp. The hard etched lines in his scarred face softening as Deegan entered the co-op.

Lana was up, not having her jacket on but bow and quiver on her back. As well as her pistol on hand, Deegan could see the holster had the top strap off so she could pull it out quickly. The woman was sitting beside Valory, as if coaxed over.

"Trouble?" Lana asked, head tilted. She had that curious but cautious expression of those used to waistlands. Weird sounds and random gunshots were normal and not always needing a panic response.

Edward chuckled as he set the trunk down. "In a way, they looked like stray raiders that wandered from their camp. Something that should be taken care of, soon-ish."

Lana made a face, not pleased with the idea of raiders in the early morning. "Is it the same group that ambushed you?"

"Possible, but I only saw three sets of recent tracks." The scarred man sat on the trunk stretching his back out, snorting as he saw the fawn bouncing around the two cow moose. No longer tied and seemed to be accepting having new, very strange tall parents. They looked to have a simple rope halter on their double heads. "Looks like they're hold up in the old federal ration stockpile. Might find something useful out of it in there."

"But should it be cleared out for safety?" Lana half asked, looking around thoughtfully. Not at all liking the idea of raiders horning in after she puts in a lot of work into this place. Lana did like it here, the space for gracing areas and what looked like some easy growling areas too.

"I think so. We might have a day or two though," Deegan said thoughtfully, keeping himself from tensing as Valory uncurled to start stretching. "This seems a back entrance, might be worth using as a surprise tactic."

"Is a human bunker?" Valory asked, her words slurring just a bit as she fought a yawn. "Too small?"

"Definitely too small from here." Deegan smiled, holding his hands out to show the width of the hatch, "Entrance is about this big."

"Hmm... bleuagh."

Lana giggled, "Sounds like it'll be stealthy more than sheer scary."

"I wonder if Valory can be a shark, distract them from the main entrance." Deegan wondered aloud, staring at the deathclaws back. The natural ridges and semi spine like scales there.

Seeing the head tilts of horns, the man added, "Not a frontal attack... but spooking them enough to stay focused on you? Lana and I could pick them off from behind."

Valory settled on her haunches, knuckles brushing the grass. Thinking about that before slowly nodding, "I can do this. Like a slow hunt? Pick off and leave bite marks." the deathclaw chuckled. "Spook but not let them see?"

"That sounds like we have a plan." Lana smirked, shifting her stance and then turned to where the dam was. "Valory said she picked up the scents of people that way. Would that be the entrance?"

Deegan shook his head, "That would be a farm, a family that's been there for a few generations. I've gotten shipments of tatos from them. Might be worth going over to see how they are and...a careful introduction."

"No shot-guns to the face, please." Valory made a face and huffed, rubbing the side of her fast with the back of her thumb joint, where there was faint old scarring. Speckling of buckshot from who knows how long.

Deegan chuckled, "Yes, don't want that. He doesn't seem like it now, but Abernathy used to be a handful not that long ago. And one hell of a trapper. He's a lot more... nervous, overly careful at times since he settled down and took over his grandparents farm, and had kids."

"How long ago was that?" Lana asked, used to how the pre-war living ancestors has a slightly skewed sense of time. Understandable as most were 200 to near 300 years old.

"I first met him about… thirty years ago. I hired him to help clear out a big infestation at a...work location I keep safe, were some of my crew grow food for themselves and my family." Deegan thought, thinking he needed to get some new trusted people to the asylum, give those there a break from the... energies. That meant doing some metal screening.

"Really?" Lana tilted her head, "What are you growing?"

"Just the basics, mostly melons and guards right now, also the flour type of razorgrain. But I've been thinking of getting a contract at the Slog for berries." Deegan hummed, and then chuckled at the look he got, "Don't worry I had planned to send you a bag of seeds last night."

"I'm starting to think you're an awesome Uncle too Deegan." Lana noted and grinned as the big man stood up.

Knowing from what Richard has said, what Deegan had picked up that older ghouls were called Uncles and Aunties. He put a hand on Lana's head, "You can call me Edward, though I'd be honored to be considered an Uncle too. Let's get your stuff sorted and stashed before seeing Abernathy and where the raider's main camp is."

"And your things from the road." Lana added, ducking her head and started off to the warehouse.

"Good thing I have some locks in the packs." Deegan rumbled a low laugh as he followed.

"So you said the flour type of razorgrain? Was that what Uncle Richy wanted?" Lana asked as they stopped at the saddle bags. "There's different types?"

"Yes, he had two of three kinds." Deegan said, checking his shotgun over and reaching for his rifle. Taking the canteen offered, pausing as at the taste.

"Oh, sorry that's the one with mint in it."

"It's okay, it's quite nice actually," The man smiled to himself, and then shook off old memories. "The two main types of razor grain, one is better for flour, or a replacement of it, the other is more like oats. Very good cooking, some like oatmeal and using tarberries as sweetier. Pretty good."

"I'll have to try it out." Lana gave a long whistle, and the moose lifted their heads at the tone. Buck was the one that walked over, head lowering to get a nose rub from his person, the halter still on. "There's my big guy. He should be able to carry all the stuff back in one trip."

"Would you mind if I store it here with you?" Deegain asked. Helping to secure the packs and the building for now. Not thinking it would take more than an hour and a half at most. Pulse Valory was settling down a little higher up hill to keep an eye on this.

"No, I don't." Lana shook her head, getting Buck's saddle and beaming as the bull eased himself down to make it easier. A mix of training and just liking his person. She loved this moose, possibly as much as he seemed to love his person.

Deegan felt his smile start again. Definitely needing to keep this group safe, and came up with two names for sure. The scarred man was pretty sure they were still around and had helped him work on the Manor several times. They were used to Jack's strangeness and would likely adapt well with this.

The walk back to the ambush site seemed to go faster in the morning. Helping somewhat that Lana was up on Buck, and the moose only had to match Deegan's longer stride. The two talking about local threats, as well as general history.

Lana was interested in the Minutemen, though seemed a bit disappointed they were no longer around. "From how you talked about them it sounds like a implosion."

"They lost their general and those left did not really sort themselves out right." Deegan nodded, stopping at the forest line to stare at the road he and his men had been ambushed. The bodies were still there, a pack of wild mongrels clustered on the far side, where Valory had taken care of the raiders. His eyes narrowed seeing a lack of anything in the road body wise.

"Valory mentioned coming back last night. This morning?" Lana said, pointing with her bow at a place not far from them, at a base of a tree was disturbed earth. The tree had a rough cross marked into the truck, two claw marks that oozed some sap, a still living tree.

"...I'll admit, I wasn't expecting that." Deegan said, staring at the spot. "She berries the dead?"

"When she thinks they deserve it." Lana nodded, staying up on Buck as she eyed the pack of canines. Some with fur, others patching and a couple looked like Lost Ones as dogs. "And when there's time for it. She would have buried the Lost Ones last night to keep predators. I guess Val likes you enough to come back and bury them."

"I'll have to remember this location." the scarred man said thoughtfully. He glanced at the street, noting everything still seemed there.

"Let's get your things."Lana nodded to the supplies, having been watching the tree lines for movements. Other than the dogs not seeing much, and Buck was already starting up to the road. Good thing at least was that he kept the dogs away, just because they likely never seen or smelled anything like him.


	5. The Farm Territory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One Family meets another. Also canon typical violence at the end of the chapter...because Valory

It was not until later that afternoon when Deegan and Lana started for the nearest settlement. Getting Deegan's things put away, and Lana taking a bit to climb up on the roofs to see their conditions. She also found some chicken wire in good condition to be set aside. The small animals were fed, given water and some seedlings set out to be exposed to the weather in the day.

When they headed off, Lana was on a saddled up Buck scanning around. Her hunting rifle in the saddle scabbard, taking her long distance weapons as well. Valory followed at a slow pace, listening intently to Deegan talk about the commonwealth and the old cities, where there were settlements and towns. Where Deathclaws had been seen and the descriptions of them. And warning about the hyper aggressive ones near and in the glowing sea.

Golden eyes squinted a bit, "It does not sound like there are...stable matriarchs here."

Deegan tilted his head, glancing at Lana as they followed the road from the dam and around the lake up to the north. "How so? I'm not sure I understand that."

"Deathclaws are pack orientated," Lana attempted to explain, frowning herself. "And 'ruled' so to say, by a strong willed and dominant female, or three for the bigger packs. Like Valory they tend to be older females that got big, more so the wild packs."

"If the matriarchs are...loopy? They can not control the males and lesser females." Valory tried again, motioning her knuckles at Deegan and then around them. "Or there are no more old matriarchs to make peace, truce? Between the packs. Hunting grounds over lap and pack fighting starts."

"You'll have to see if there's any older deathclaws around that are okay talking about the pack history." Lana glanced over, and then back to studying the tree lines for another moment. Then homed into a big cluster of orange flowers in full bloom just off the side of the road.

"If they will listen...or if I can understand them." Valory snorted, shaking her head and neck.

"Do deathclaws have different languages or dialects?" Deegan asked surprised, blue and red eyes meeting the amber gaze.

"In a way." Valory nodded, her forearms tucked close, looking like some strange t-rex poster in her posture, "Not like the difference of English and Spanish… accent? Some packs have their own words for things."

"I think I understand." the scarred man nodded, smiling a bit. He paused before the end of the dam and scanned ahead in case of an ambush. But it was oddly...quiet up in this direction. Other then that one nest of raiders Deegan was not aware of too many threats in the north west of the Commonweath.

"The farm is around the lake here, and farther up north is a nearby vault too." Deegan spoke up as they started again. Valory walking ahead of them.

"Vault tech?" Lana asked with a bit of a snort. "I don't think they would be the kind of people to make a seed vault, but it might be worth checking out. If nothing else then for salvage...if there's no one in there."

"That I don't know," Deegan admitted, "Last time I was in the area to check it out was only the surface area, and even then it was looking for direct supplies for use. Armor, weapons, any surviving tech."

"Normal stuff," Lana nodded.

"Normal stuff." Deegan agreed, though he had a moment internally as he glanced at Lana. Not for the first time struck at how each new generation was adapting to the after of the 'after the end of the world.'

At least that was a good thing.

Deegan still felt old as they walked around the lake, finding the right road to head up to the farm he knew. Stopping only a few times to let Lana gather some plants the man pointed out. It was still a nice change to explain what things were, and help put the wild carrots and other herbs he knew of into the fabric bags and explain about them. Even if it was just telling Lana noticing more when he saw these plants crop up over the last few centuries. Deegan did try to say what he heard of others using the plants and his family.

As the trees thinned out and the grass was getting a bit thicker, Lana squeaked in excitement. She swung down to the ground, paused and crouched by a cluster of flowers.

"Pollinators?"

Deegan peered over her shoulder, seeing the still small insect and knew exactly where they came from. "Yes, those I know were released back in the wild a decade ago. There was a place…. Grey Garden that had those in the basement through the worst of the weather and rads. I guess there's a nesting box nearby.

"Not bumblebees or Honey bees… or flower flies."

"Mason bees." Deegan smiled and motioned to the wild flowers popping up more as they traveled. "I don't think they have any predators, so far they've been spreading outside of the bigger city."

"This is amazing," Lana shifted to keep the little pollinator in view as it found another cluster of flowers. Letting this new discovery settling on her mind, before Lana looked relieved.

She got up and half wondered if she could somehow get some home eventually. At a light tug on her elbow, Lana turned back to the road, making a face back at Valory as she stuck a long forked tongue out at them.

"Shuush you."

"I said nothing." Valory flashed what was a grin for her and started walking again, drifting closer to one of the dreams that fed into the man made lake. Standing tall for a moment to look around as the humans caught up, only when they were close enough and Valory did not see any threats did she ducked down to start drinking.

Deegan glanced over, slowing his stride a bit as Lana found a new plant to deftly dig up and inspect once in a cloth pot. It had to go into one of the larger ones, as it was a big cluster of dark green.

"I think this is chamomile." Lana said with some surprise, happy surprise as she inspected the plant from stem to leaves and gave one of the already bloomed flowers a sniff.

"Is it?" the scarred man paused, glancing around, "I thought they were just surviving daisies."

"There are daisies too Edward, see this has wider peddles?" Lana showed Deegan, "You can also smell the differences too. These are just...big. The flower is just opening, I wonder..."

"Still good for tea?" Deegan asked, glancing up at movement. It was just Valory catching back up from her drink break. He stooped to get a sniff of the offered plant and tilted his head as memory coughed up something, "It smells like an apple almost."

"Slight mutated with size, but I think this came from german chamomile. I like it here just for the flora on the ground level. Oooh, I wonder if this would partner with radexus or just tolerate it."

"You can always try it." Deegan shrugged, noticing the moose had stopped walking and grazing at the same time. Head lifted and stopped mid chew to listen and watch. Following the big beastie's gaze, expecting a predator or a mirelurk but only saw a small herd of rad stag…

Deer.

Why _did_ everything deer shaped get called a stag?

Now that Deegan thought about it it would bug him for a while.

The creatures were not showing stress, though seemed annoyed. Kept glancing at something that was fallowing them. Trying to be apart of the herd, even if its heard was not the same…

"Lana," Deegan called softly as he kept his eyes on the herd and the Brahmin and its load. "You still have rope?"

"Yes," The woman looked up, saw him staring and turned, blinked and moved to her mount and pulled out a nest bundle of rope. Handing it over easy enough. "Run away?"

"In a way, I bet it was with a merchant and… well I would not be surprised to find the trader dead." The scarred man made a loop and walked slowly over, the deer wavering and walking to keep a bit of space. Yet Deegan had no weapon up and was humming softly, walking not like a predator but...just someone walking by.

There was a nervous chuffing, the Brahmin shifting, talking a step after its adopted herd. Its middle was swollen not with fat or infection… Lana tilted her head and leaned to her right, getting a better look as Deegan talked to the burden beast.

"She's pregnant?" Lana half asked, maybe crooned a bit over at the brahmin as Deegan was able to loop the rope over the thicker of the two heads.

"Looks like it." Deegan walked over, leading the cow over. "She's been wandering around for a while. How did you make that halter with a rope for the deer?"

Lana reached out for the excess of the rope, making the requested halter-lead. Leaving enough to stretch over and tie an improvised halter on the other head, they still had room to move but would have to follow along. "Once there's some leather it's easier, but you do this.. And curl it around and then through here. Want me to tie them to Buck?"

"That might be best." Deegan nodded, checking the load on the brahmin's back. "Other then the straps pulled tight… I think she's holding this up well. A few loose ropes."

"Should we take it all off?" Lana asked, peering over as she finished tying the cow to Buck's saddle with enough space to not get in the way. It was a slip knot that she could pull free when in the saddle.

"No, she can handle the rest of the day and trip back to the Co-op." Deegan shook his head. "She might get too rowdy than what's good for her if we take off. We can grab some fencing to take home, make a proper pen for both Brahmin to recover."

"Alright," Lana tilted her head, not sure how she felt about that, but she did not know these creatures. They were just a new interesting animal back home, some had seemed too thin but we're filling out when she left.

Seeing this one and Deegan's bull?

Lana wondered if there was someone around here that would put up with all her questions about them in detail.

Or…

"Are then vets around?" Lana asked as they started off again. Valory keeping Buck between her and the new Brahmin, so not to spook it more than she had too. "Veterinarians that is."

"Uhh… up at the old Creamery there was a ghoul couple that used to be livestock vets. I think they breed Brahmin, something like sheep that came from out west too. And a bird, not sure if they're chickens or pheasants. They live in the creamery or a nearby farm."

"Oo… I'll have to go check that out. Chickens huh? I thought those were only in the mid South? A few travelers like me left in a group down that way to try and get some. Our quail are only so big, even with all the breeding over the years."

"How did you get the quail?" Deegan asked, and then added as he spotted one of the old power towers, not the one he wanted. "That's the trail, you can see the farm and house in the distance. And the look I got of what's in the cages… I can't place the breed of bird."

Lana blinked, looking ahead as Valory stood for a better look at it and tilting her head.

"Their a mix like I said before, or descendants of a mix. When the bombs dropped some in the small town had quail as pets, as did Grandpa and the aunties. Between them and what was trapped live in the wild we had quite a breeding stock. Uncle Richard and my great grandpa-"

"His brother?"

Lana nodded, "Yeah, they trapped as many live quail and rabbits as they could. Even grabbing bugs like the flower flies, and the first generations of elk, deer and moose for us. Not the bears though. The herbivores were, and still are happy to live off the radexes moss and a partner grass."

Deegan tilted his head slightly, scanning for where that radstag… rad deer? the herd had gone, thinking of the young fawn he saw. "Is that how he passed? Your grandfather?"

"Yeah…" Lana considered her family history, "He and Uncle were one of the only able bodies and experienced hunters. I know grandpa had been a trapper and tagger for the old States' and Provinces' fish and game rangers."

Valory gave a rumbling, party listening to the humans as something got her attention ahead as they stayed in the tree line for now. Just wanting to let them know that she was aware of a conversation if they needed her attention back but... really was interested in something else.

"They both got radiation sickness as a storm from the east I think came in." Lana had to pause and think about that, "Uncle was sicker to start with. And great grandpa insisted on going out still, to teach others about his traps and trails… he didn't see the bear as far as anyone was able to tell. One good hit to the head...he was killed or knocked out and then killed."

Deegan winced, considering how big the black bears here got after mutating, the man also eyed Buck and the sheer mass. Deegan did not want to think how big the bears had gotten up north. "For what it's worth, I hope it was fast."

"I do too." Lana offered her hand to the brahmin cow as Valory was walking ahead of the group. The deathclaw hunched over in her normal comfortable long distance stride. The young woman was used to her pack sister taking wide swaths around her and the critters. She was distracted by the brahmin nudging her for attention, rubbing her knuckles other the broad forehead of the main head.

"Look at those big soft eyes," Lana cooed, the cow chuffing for more attention. Even if it was just having the humans walk beside her with a hand on her head and the other scared human had a hand on her side. "You really were tamed huh? I hope this means you were treated well, cargo hauling aside."

"Most brahmin are pretty much passive," Deegan aloud, chuckling lowly, "One or two might be crazy from the rads, but mostly you can just walk up to them. I know they will sometimes wander into settlements wanting attention and get adopted. Most of the time people mean safety from predators."

Lana nodded, rubbing her knuckles on the side of Buck's neck so he would not be left out. Or feel jealous. Something over a ton throwing a fit was not a good thing.

Lana glanced back at the brahmin, tilting her head to get a glimpse of the udder, noticing that it as well as a few other spots had old scarring. Like something had been removed- extra limbs? Tumors?

A whistling like sound followed by a sharp click had Lana snapping around, even Buck's head lifting at the alert. Noticing where Valory was glancing back at them, hunched over low to the ground. Jerking her head at where there was a relatively large cluster of people by the home built up around one of the towers, using it as support.

"Trouble?" Deegan asked, glancing to the side as Lana was pulling her hunting rifle out of its scabbard, fumbled a moment to detach the compound bow. The scarred man reached out with his free hand to unhook it, his right swinging his own riffle off his shoulder.

"Trouble." Lana agreed, pulling Buck's head down low before stepping away. Falling a step or two behind Deegan with her bow and quiver on her back while making sure her rifle was loaded.

It took the confused moose a moment to realize what was going on. When he started after his person, Buck was tugged to the right. Baffling the bull moose until he realized the Brahmin that had been tied to him was not budging other then slowly turning. She had just enough tonnage on her own to not be easily moved without coaxing.

Maybe it was a plan of Lana's, or just worked out to keep the animals back long enough to put some distance between them and the people.

Deegan just caught up to Valory who was crouching in a new spot, and caught male voices he did not know, Lana sliding almost soundless beside him and lifting her rifle. The man only just recognized the situation, as well as the panic in Black and Connie's voices as Valory was acting on things first.

"Raiders," Deegan told Lana, "Aim center mass, they're too close to the settlers."

"Center mass," Lana echoed to show she heard as the young woman breathed out slowly, trying to get herself to calm down. Not wanting to rely on holding her breath, she was dropping down to lay down, not as comfortable being able to kneel to shoot like the scarred man.

Plus it kept her out of Deegan's way as Lana lined up a shot for the closest raider to the tree line while Valory got herself into position.

There was something about deathclaws that really just defied their makeup. They really did not look like they should be able to move as fast as they could. Like a new kind of living dinosaur or an earthly cousin dragon that stepped out of the myths.

For all of Valory's long stride and naturally hunched position she pointedly had not moved as swiftly as that first rescue meeting. Moving slower then her normal when around Deegan as he got used to her.

Now?

It took two full strides before Valory was bounding down hill and cutting back up to be behind the cluster of raiders. All with barley making sound thanks to her clear experience and the grass, so even the Abernathy family barely realized what was in front of them until the raiders did.

There was a low, deep growl followed by the clacking of rattling spine ridges. The leader of the group, or at least the one holding a hostage froze.

Finally realizing the sudden wave of fear from the family was not, in fact for old Razor, but another kind of nightmare of the wasteland. He almost did not want to turn as hot air was snorted down his exposed back.

The man could see the faces of the other three, the father and mother grabbing at that blond daughter he had considered bring back home as a hostage and possible slave laborer. Pulling her back with them as they looked horrified of some certain death of their other daughter that had nothing to do with Razor's arm around her neck and the gun to the brunette hair.

Razor turned, in time with the man to his left, heard his crewmate whimper as he met the golden predatory eyes that were looking down at him.

The Deathclaw gave another low grown, rattling out between the opening fangs- like death itself chuckling though the beast.

"Oh…" Razor breathed as his pistol lowered a bit, following his shoulders, "Fuck me man."

The Deathclaw tilted her horned head...and smiled. It was some kind of uncanny valley where the expression was and was not alike to a human. She stepped forward, head lowering as a gravel-growling voice spoke clearly from the beastie.

"I would rather not." The Deathclaw said, flicking a glance at the hostage human that seemed to be frozen. Seeing a face young like Lana, and already drenched in fear scent. Eyes widening even more at hearing her, "Humans are hardly as big as even the lesser males."

"What in hell's name-" a man to the right choked.

"Not hell," Valory lashed out, grabbing the leader, slipping her left hand between him and the girl as she stood back up. One deft move of turning to drop the girl behind her and using the momentum to throw Razor with all her force at the tree line.

Twisting back to roar at the other remaining four raiders.

There were two shots from rifles.

Three raiders.

Gunshots hit Valory, but though she twitched in reflex it was only small caliber bullets and pipe weapons. Two of the raiders backing up and unloading full clips at her head. Valory had to close two of her inner lids to protect her eyes as she lashed out with her killing claws on the one man that had frozen with lifting his shotgun up.

Knocking the one gun that would smart out of its owner's hands and spinning the human around. Biting down on the back of his neck to break it, shifting to keep her bulk between the raiders retreating and the girl almost under Valory's tail at this point.

She was rising just to to see one of the running men stubble and yell as a rifle report sounded, hitting him in the leg. Valory shifted her gaze to the farther human and launched after, making full use of her speed and stride to catch up and come down on him. Using her weight to break the man's spine before driving her killing claws into him.

"No, no, nononono-!" The last surviving raider had been hit in the back, but unlike the second to die he did not. Not yet. Trying to scramble away, trying to keep running again. His leg would not keep him up. "God no- notlikethis- please!"

"Perhaps then," Valory hissed softly as she got up and started walking back towards him. "You should have picked… a better path." The matriarch motioned to the farm and the family that where trying to get their fallen daughter, blood still dripping off her killing claws, the middle three.

"Predation... of other humans, those that would be Pack… well. It does not sit well with me." Valory was speaking as clearly as she could, slowing her speech just a bit to get the syllables right. Looming over the raider she bared her full fangs while reaching for him. "Perhaps you will make better choices in your next life, raider."

The yell was cut off in a wet gargle before Valory dropped the man. Backing up from the body to dig her claws into the earth for cleaning. Watching the small human family pack as Deegan called out for their attention.

A semi distant half bark, half throaty howl of a deep voice like hers had Valory's attention swinging to the east. Rising up to her full height now that she was in the open.

She spotted the wild Deathclaw, attracted by the composition but hesitating to come closer to the bigger female.

"Oh bothers and broken shells." Valory muttered as if cursing, taking a chase she stepped forward at the distant back male. Taking a deep breath and letting out a long, carrying roar, spreading her forearms and claws out wide. A not really low, nor screeching scream but a wordless territorial claim of this area.

The smaller male started, hopping back and crouching down from his own tall stand to watch. He turned and left until he was behind a thin line of trees, peering back to see if he would be chased... but he was respecting a defined line.

.


	6. Making Friends to last

It was the sound of footsteps that alerted Valory to someone coming over. It was not the long, march like stride of Deegan that she was getting used to, nor the whisper soft steps that Lana had grown into over the years.

For a moment, Valroy missed the hatchling years of Lana as she listened to the hesitant steps coming over to her patch of sun warmed grass. The matriarch missed kids, and hoped to see more now that they were settling for a while.

"Um..." The woman that had come over stopped at least ten or twelve feet away, her voice unsure but trying. "Valory was it?"

Valory opened her eyes finally, shifting her head to peer over, finding the older woman of the family standing there. She gave a soft chirp of surprise, also noting the man, father of the family not that far behind his wife.

"Yess, that iss my name." The words slurring just slightly Valory shifted in her basking position to tilt her head at the two, tail flicking to curl to her left. Keeping herself moving slowly, so not to startle the jumpy humans.

The woman took a deep breath and came over, a larger bowl in her hands, ignoring the reflexive alarmed sound from her husband. She knelt down, trying to hide a shiver as she put the bowl down between them. A small smile trying as there was an interested 'brrt?' sound, "My name is Connie, this is my husband Black, thank you. For saving my daughters that is. And us, but mostly our girls."

"I...yes," The man said as Valory lifted her head a little off the ground, blinking at him in surprise. "Thank you… really, thank you for helping us. I don't think I could live long if something happened to any of my girls. Lucy, Mary...Connie."

The man glanced at his wife, Blake shifted and rubbed the back of his head before shuffling closer to Connie. Daring to meet the golden eyes that were watching him with a curiosity but understanding that seemed to be too keen. He took a breath and spoke up again. "I'm sorry I yelled, thank you for giving us space to calm down… and taking care of the bodies."

He glanced to where the spot farther down the hill where he had seen Valory burying the Raider bodies. The fact that Valory had refused to eat the bodies having done much to help him come to grips with what Lana and Deegan said.

Valory was distracted by what was in the bowl for a moment, and then started a low reassuring humm to calm nerves. Making use of the subsonics to do so. "You are welcome. I… dislike those that prey? Hurt others in greed. Could… I could smell the...what iss word…?"

The deathclaw had to squint off to the side as she struggled with how to explain what she wanted to. "Bad smell, they give off something bad." She spoke a purely deathclaw word and again attempted to translate. "Rotten core? Mad mind?"

Connie tilted her head at that, the tension in her shoulders easing despite her wariness before. Hearing not mimicked words but a true attempt at convention. Even the stumbled words made the deathclaw… human like. The intelligent gaze helped the most as far as Connie was concerned as well.

"Lana said you liked to try new things." The older woman said, glancing at her husband and then motioning to the large bowl. "We still had some breakfast stew, if you would like? It's made with carrots, tatos and squirrel."

Seeing the perked up attention and inquisitive chirp had a half smile tugging on Blake's face. He made a mental note to apologies to that new girl. Remembering not twenty minutes ago when Lana had pointed at Valory and said in a low but firm voice 'Valory saved you, not us. She chose to help. Thank her not us.'

Blake took a deep breath to get himself to calm down now that he accepted what happened. He still reflexively tensed as the large deathclaw shifted closer to his wife. But the creature was just sniffing at the large bowl, tilting her head back and forth before her forked tongue poked out, though it did not actually touch.

It was the action that drew Blake's attention to a few differences in Valory compared to the local deathclaws. It was right there in her face, longer and slightly more muzzle like. A longer tail and not quite as hunched. She could stand up right better for looking around.

It was the claws that stood out different, all distinct like a Death-Claw was, but the thumb and pinkie fingers were shorter. The pointer was only a little bigger but the main killing claws were the middle and 'ring' fingers. It was not all for hunting but a shift in evaluation for better manipulation of objects. Letting Valory to carefully reach out and pick up the bowl to lift to her rather than eat out of it.

"This… iss very good Connie miss." Valory said with a lighter trill sound. Offering the empty bowl back, angling in the killing claws to keep them mostly out of the way and then turning her hand to hide them.

Being polite.

"What...is a Taa-du? Ta-toe…?"

Connie could not help the laugh that escaped her.

Some distance away, back up at the house and farm a few heads swiveled to look over at what was happening. The group doing a cross of keeping an eye on as well as pretending not to be doing so. Deegan was the only one with his back turned, sitting in front of Mary as he checked her leg over. The bullet wound closed from the half a dose of a Stimpack, but she would need time to heal the twisted ankle.

Rough fingers felt down the girl's leg and over her foot, pausing as Mary winced and Deegan rumbled in response. She was sitting on the current bench in front of her home's front porch.

"Without an xray to confirm, I'm pretty sure they're not completely broken, but," Deegan lifted a finger as he looked up at Mary pointedly, "There's likely a few hair like fractures in the bones in your foot. You need to stay off it for a long while. As much as possible in the next few weeks, and as much as possible over the next month. No more stims, you don't have enough mass to deal with the internal resource drain right now."

"We should have some crutches on one of the walls." Lucy offered, glancing at where her parents were, then over to where Lana was investigating their Brahmin.

Deegan nodded, "That would be good. You just have to help her down or build a ramp."

"Is med-x okay?" Mary asked as she took another deep breath while the Ghoul man wrapped her ankle.

"That should be fine," Deegan nodded, pausing as he eyed Mary again as Lucy darted inside. "No more than a quarter dose a day. Even then it's best to take it at night."

"Makes it easier to sleep." Lana agreed, rubbing the head of the loaded brahmin, having found the medical supplies for Mary there. Her moose was contentedly grazing in the spring green while the aftermath was going on. "Is your cow in calf too?"

The question had Mary distracted as she looked over to Lana, having to think about that, "Noo… the breeding didn't take last year I don't think?"

"It didn't, she's just generally getting fat with spring." Lucy agreed as she came back with the crutches and some fresh, soft leather. Handing it all to Deegan, "Do you see something with Clarabell?"

"I think she has an abscess in her udder," Lana said crouched down beside Clarabell, who shifted but let the new young woman feel down her stomach to the udder.

"She's always had a bit of a big one since she started to calf years ago." Lucy explained as she came over, hoping the fence using a cinder block, and came over. The blond looked worried, wondering if she and her family missed something with their family brahmin. It may be silly but Clarabell was a part of the family, many winters she had provided enough milk for her calf and the family when food was in slender pickings.

Saving them all from starvation, more so when Lucy and Mary were little kids.

But sometimes you can get used to something happening slowly over time and not see it. Lucy remembered her dad saying that with her small squirrel-meat farm (she needed to start hunting for babies again now that it was spring), and one was sick.

So Lucy came to see what Lana had spotted. At first not seeing anything until Lana gently pushed unto the udder. Clarabell was well trained and well behaved, though she gave a low groan and tried to shift away.

"That's a pain response, but if you feel, there's fluid in there." Lana explained, easing the pressure and rubbed the cow's side before stepping over to where the stray cow was and checked her udders, "This girl feels like my cows do right now, granted they're moose... but they are all quadruped grazers with some basic things alike. She's bagging up like Luna and Grace."

Lana paused and added, "Well, Grace is producing milk already for me but she hasn't made any colostrum, and it's normal for her." Grace was one of those moose cows to bag up once exposed to babies in need.

"I don't see any colostrum on Clarabell, or that cow." Lucy agreed as she took her turn in carefully examining the two brahmin.

"When was the last time… Clarabell got some rad-away? A full dose for her mass." Deegan spoke up as he looked up from helping Mary learn how to get along on the crutches. They were now sized for her and the girl was walking over with a swinging gate from the added supports.

"It was... umm..." Lucy started to speak but stopped, staring at the cow as she shifted to get one of her heads in range for pettings on the broad head. "Mary?"

"...I think just before winter?" Mary said, pausing from her spot on the other side of the fence. "After Mom thought Clarabell aborted when she found the old girl in the field."

"That might be it, it just takes a scratch and a rad storm when you're not looking." Deegan offered as he stayed near Mary, reaching out only twice to help her correct balance before falling over. "There could be an abscess. Are there any extra growths? Lumps?"

"I need her halters," Lucy gave the cows dominant head a kiss on the forehead. When she had the halters on led the brahmin out of her overnight stall. Tieing Clarabelle to the other side of the hitching post the stray was attached. Letting them nose and introduce themselves with a few huffs, puffs and some non aggressive fussing.

It let them get a better look at Clarabelle, and her udders.

Lana drew an outside chair over for Mary to sit before calling for her mount to come back and dig into the cargo packs.

"When would she be giving birth normally?" Deegan asked, even if he favored the bull brahmin. He knew general care of the breed, just not the details of vets. The scarred man pulled off his hat as he stooped down to see what Lucy was looking at.

"We breed her later than normal so it would be...any week now. Normally we try to have her milking during the winter." Lucy explained, gently inspecting the larger than normal udder sack. Flashing a grateful look at Deegan as the man grasped a moving leg, lifting the foot to keep the cow from moving away. Lucy frowned as she checked several spots.

"Clarabelle doesn't have as much fur as she normally does." Mary realized as she rested, tilting her head, "I mean she had that burn patch on her rump, but in general isn't as fuzzy."

"She may have radiation sickness," Lana pulled a pack free. Bringing it over and digging into to get a bottle of alcohol, a lancer and… was that a needle?

"That would lower her immune system to other infections." Deegan agreed, braced to hold the leg up and over on one of his knees like the farriers do when working on hooves. He tilted his head, hat shoved back on as he got a look at the things Lana had. "That is a big needle."

"And a big gage," Lana gave a soft snort, showing how big around the three inch needle was. It was covered with a clear plastic or glass tube, it was clear but sterile while inside. "It's one of the only things that can puncture the 'under armor' hide, I guess you can say, that the moose have. But I have a scalpel to make a lance just in case for draining."

"Have you seen something like this?" Mary wounded, from her spot able to watch but was not so close to get hurt if Clarabell had a fit.

"Kinda, It was a younger moose that got out of a pen when we were bringing them in for a rad-storm." Lana explained, her things set on the bag as she and Lucy found the weakest feeling spot on the udder. Right under on the bottom where it could be missed. "That feels like a head of sorts is trying to form here. Anyways the young bull ended up coming back after the storm, but it was like, two months out on his own running around in panic. He was pretty scraped up, had a lot of rads and infections that needed to be drained."

"A little Buck?" Mary hummed, looking up as the moose came over to her, the big antler-ed head lowing to either give or get attention as he lipped at her bad leg. Unable to resist reaching out to give scritches with her knuckles on the forehead under the horns. Buck definitely felt like he had a thicker skull then the Brahmin did. "Aww..."

"It was a little Buck like moose," Lana nodded, sitting up to let Lucy get a look after pointing out the new lumps. Trading where they were looking. "It was a few years ago, and other than being a gelding now, and a lot shorter than other moose he's doing good now. Last I saw he was working in the flower mill with the elk."

"That's good," Lucy stood up to eye the stray Brahmin, "Would you mind if I check that trunk for any rad away?"

Deegan shook his head, "I don't see the harm, if there's a pack or two that you use. Lana?"

"Nah, I don't mind either. I don't think you should do more then two packs to start with though." She reached for the main teets on the udder, Clarabele had what looked like four main ones and two smaller, and a few odd skin tags. Lana made a face as she gently squeezed the biggest teet to see some blood and something milky come out. "Where was that vet again Edward?"

"The old creamery," the ghoul said, watching. "It would be a bit of a trip but worth it to keep this girl around for another few odd years."

"I'll mention it to our parents." Mary said, and then asked, "Can draining help?"

"It will, and cleaning it until it heals," Lana used a cloth to clean the udder with the alcohol and the scalpel, "I think there's two spots it can drain from, but you'll have to...uh, sort of milk the blood and the rest of the infection out of the ducts for them to heal."

"Eew," Lucy made a face, but that made sense to her at the same time.

"Ready?" Lana asked Deegan.

"Yeah, I have a hold of her."

"Sorry Clarabell I don't have brahmin painkillers." Lana said as she found the spot on the bottom and made first one then a second quick, clean cuts in the same spot.

The brahmin's startled bleet and twitch was thankfully not that pained. Deegan kept the leg held to keep Clarabelle from doing more than jerking her leg a bit, and not reflexively kicking out. The scared man gave a groan at the sudden smell as the biggest abscess drained out onto the ground.

"Definitely infection."

"Ohhh boy." Lana had to stand up for a moment, or a minute. Making sure her things and her own face were not in the 'splash' zone. She and Edward would definitely need to clean their boots though.

"I can smell that from here." Mary covered her face with her hands. Spotting her parents starting to come back. Valory a little closer than before but in the process of settling down again on her side.

"What's going on back here?" Blake wondered as he took in things.

"The squishy side of animal husbandry." Lana explained as she ducked to help make sure that pocket of infection was drained before opening the others. Deegan mentioned one on his side too.

"Clarabelle wasn't producing milk," Lucy was making a face but was worried as she looked at her parents. She held up the two rad-away packs. "She's been quietly sick."

Blake exchanged a look with his wife before coming over to help. Whatever plans made that morning well and truly tossed out the window for both groups. Supply runs and raider inspections. Taking the time to just help one another, and the stressed animals.

By evening Clarabelle was uncomfortable and relieved at the same time. A rigged cloth used to help keep dirt off her udder, but able to still drain overnight.

Blake had taken the time to walk with the group back to the Co-op in the early evening. As much to see the path again as to get some of the dear meat offered for the family. Though he mainly came to help Lana and Deegan set up the fence panels taken from the shipping lock up.

There was enough to make three stalls all in separate areas. One for Deegan's bull brahmin (Blake was very interested in the bull), one for the stray cow brahmin about to give birth, and the last stall was larger for the moose cows with the fawn so they weren't locked in one of the buildings. More fence panels to be harvested the next day for both groups.

Blake shifted his pack on the walk back home, Valory keeping a respectful distance as she escorted him for safety's sake. As well as to ask some questions about the area, what she needed to start hunting that where bigger threats to both settlements predator wise. The man answered as best he could with local knowledge. The heavy stakes in the pack on the bottom and a bag of radexes moss as well. The latter had a lot of his attention, willing to spread some outside to watch it over the next few days, and around one isolated tato plant.

Strange how days can change so much from morning to evening.


	7. Bunker Raid...of the Raiders

It ended up taking a few days before Deegan and Lana managed to get over to the bunker. Watching for a bit and planning with Blake and Connie. Then another few days after that to start their plan. It was Valory that spooked them at the other entrance, with a wild male, to stay put for a while. Though it was all of them that planned a joint spooking on the side of the sole lonely church.

Uncovering the hatch for a day, Valory pointedly spent that time in the church with the remains of the deer carcass she was finishing off, leaving it right by the hatch.

Other than the morning when Valory helped clear the rest of the bridge of the old cars and the very useful trailer. She settled for dozing as her humans worked on the trailer in the morning, sorting out the cargo. Something to do with window panes for cars and engine parts.

Lana and Blake had been exited, Deegan amused and the sisters confused.

All Valory knew was that it meant Lana could do a bigger water filtration system here. The one over at the Abernathy farm could be improved as well. The small trailer that Valory had pulled closer to the farm was mentioned, something about the widows being fixed or rigged up in the Camper.

Making something for Mary to be able to sleep in while she healed, and did not have to keep struggling with the stairs. Connie was finishing making the door for it yesterday morning. Keeping the young woman from freezing at night.

Mary, and Lucy were both having a blast being allowed to ride on Buck though when coming to visit the Co-Op. Learning about the new plants and animals, Valory had the feeling it was to spend time with Lana for the former sister more than 'learning to help watch the co-op.'

Valory thought it was cute.

Lana was pretty sure she might run the risk of losing one or two of her rabbits. With the way the sisters fell in love with them, and the quail. Not...that that was a bad idea, to have a breeding pair or two with someone else to take care of them at a different location. As it would be a good back up.

Valory was stirred awake from her dose, the half formed thoughts and memories stopping at the sound of the hatch opening up. Just an inch or two of a crack, enough for whoever was in there to see the bloody bones Valory had pointedly chewed on and placed by the hatch on a dirt patch. Her tail stretched out and a clawed foot was near as well.

The deathclaw took a deeper breath, letting it out in a long, rumbling sigh. Her eyes barely cracked open, watching through the closed inner lid. She could just barely make out the human under that hatch.

Valory could smell the fear stink though.

There was the softest of curses breathed out, and the hatch was eased down to close with as little sound as possible. Though there were muffled voices and then hurrying feet that ran off in the tunnel below.

The deathclaw chuckled and stretched out. Yawning as she moved, pointedly making sounds until there was a second muffled set of feet running off. Shifting to get up, Valory pulled the pews back over the hatch. Having to be a bit more delicate with her hands, as the wood still seemed to be good, and nicely heavy.

The deer carcass was picked up and tossed a good ways down hill from the Co-Op, people and the explanting herd. Valory made a mental note to bury the mess later.

Making her way back up the hill, Valory studied the fencing made stalls. Most were placed between the farthest cabins to where the humans were sleeping in. It was well enough to keep the super tame cows... brahmin. Even that bull was quite content to settle down, more so after the tarps had been used to help make a wind break and a sun shade spot. The moose though… Valory suspected they tolerated it to help keep their fawn safe, and that they were tired still from the long trip east.

There was a scent that caught Valory's attention, making her pause beside one of the cabins. Surprised at first thatshe missed it, sniffing to be sure. Then again the breeze may have shifted when she had been in the chapel.

There was that scent of new birth, fresh birth. That scent was fairly universal In Valory's opinion, with only a slight difference between species. Birthed or hatched, it was the scent of new life.

Two very small brahman calves were the newest additions. After a few days in a safe, protected place, with having her cargo and gear removed and just undisturbed grazing time, the cow felt safe to drop her calves.

Valory tilted her head, cuffing to alert the humans but not alarm the brahmin as most were in the same pen as the cow. Blake and Lucy helping to be sure the main heads of the calves found the udder. Lana was careful inspecting the placenta, making sure everything was there and nothing was left inside the cow. Not unlike with the moose and elk from home.

Deegan was watching them from the porch of the in use cabin. Dressed in full armor, with an assortment of weapons in front of him on a table. The scared man had been cleaning and inspecting not just his, but Lana's and Blake's weapons while waiting for the sign.

Three full quivers and Lana's bows were not far, Valory recognizing all three of Lana's bows. Blake and Deegan had been given a crash course of how to use them over the last few days. Decently enough at very short range. Valory put more faith in Lana's shooting skills with a bow then most anyone else outside the Rookie Mountains.

...she was slightly biased here and Valory knew it. Yet could not help her pride in her human.

"It is time," Valory spoke up, starting a low calming humm as she slowly walked closer. "Two of the raiders….peeked? Saw me and ran." She chuckled.

"You think you can make it to the main entrance in time?" Deegan asked sitting up from cleaning his combat knife.

Valory grinned wide in her way, like and unlike a human smile, her spines lifted and fanned out as well to show her excitement. "I can be there soon, the lesser male is there already. He knows I'm interested in the place."

"Using the local young men are you?" Blake could not help the moment of sass as he stood up, picking up a dark colored towel to clean his hands. "That hardly seems fair."

"No dad, he's a smart boy," Lucy put in from where she was on a stool, not bothering to get up. "Learning what the big beautiful woman wants and what not to go hunting for."

Valory chuffed at Lucy, still smiling for the compliment, "Yes. Smart male. Lesser does not mean bad most times. He is smaller, but smart."

"It's the best translation Blake," Lana grinned too, getting the sack outside the birth stall and taking the offered towel. "Lesser males and females, greater males and females. It's like spoken shorthand for full-grown deathclaws that top out at a lesser or a greater tonnage. Mass. Smaller wild males tend to be smarter to survive and ...mostly not as aggressive. I wouldn't recommend head boop-ing one."

"Nooo," Blake shook his head at the cheeky look from Lana. A look the man knew all too well with his daughters. And wife...and his sister when she was around. He still reflexively twitched though when Lana hugged Valory.

The man started after the young woman, paused to look back at his daughter, "Are you sure you're going to be okay here Lucy?"

"I'll be fine dad." Lucy promised as she got up, the pistol holster on her right leg was so odd to see, and though the straps had to be pulled down to the lowest setting, it did fit. The 10mm was not big but fit well enough for Lucy's hands. It was lent, possibly given, to her from Deegan.

"I have this, the shotgun that I'll keep beside me, and the moose." Lucy came over, hands still covered in the birthing fluid as she picked up a towel, more for the calves. "I'll be fine I promise, I get to play with calves, fawn, bunnies, birds and new plants. Go help keep us safe again dad."

There was such warmth and pride in Lucy's voice and smile. Looking up at her father only slightly taller than her now. Proud of him for once more helping to keep their family and the area safe despite the risk. It was not the giant spiders but a different, as deadly if not more so pest and threat.

Blake rather shamelessly hugged Lucy in the gate of the new pen. Hugging his younger daughter tight for a moment, trying to shake the fear in his chest, "I'm so proud of you Lucy. I don't know what I did right with you girls to turn out as wonderful as you are."

"Oof, dad, why are suddenly getting sappy?" Lucy flustered, blushing as Deegan laughed lowly at them. "You'll be back before dinner."

"He's having a dad moment." Edward called as he finished putting everything into their proper places.

"Of course I am!" Blake said, holding Lucy in that way a parent can do to embarrass their child when both meaning and not meaning to do so. A tight hug that lasted for a few extra long seconds.

"Dad!" Lucy batted at her father until the mother Brahmin nosed over to be sure everything was alright. Attracted by the commotion and higher voice, plus the abundance of hormones and emotions for bonding with her newborns.

Blake set down his daughter, chuckling himself, reaching out to rub the broad head, "Okay, okay, no need for you to worry about Lucy even more than me."

It was incredibly hard to resist to hug his daughter again, but Lucy was firmly pushing him out of the pen and over to where Lana and Deegan were finishing getting ready. Blake washed his hands and arms before coming to get his own pistol and the basic of the three bows. "At least in short range I don't think I'm that bad with this."

"You have a really good eye for a beginner." Lana reassured, as she extended her compound bow, checking over all the parts and then attached it to her back where there was something built into her black leather jacket. "And a little better accuracy than Edward does. As you practice archery more, you get better at longer distances."

Blake ran his fingers down the arch of the bow, at least feeling comfortable for it not being complicated. It was such an oddly primal yet sophisticated weapon, no matter what form the bow was. He knew how to pick, make and throw spears and pikes from years of hunting spiders in the commonwealth, and remembered a few far off travels carrying bows and arrows. He just never thought of using one for stealth.

It made a lot more sense now that he was introduced to it.

"Good thing we'll mostly be shorter range." The man said as he made sure there was nothing dangling from his person, strapping on a pistol offered by Deegan and a shotgun, shells in the deeper pockets on his jacket. He was not sure where the ghoul had gotten everything in the last few days but he was willing to use them.

"Yep!" Lana laughed, zipping up her jacket and flipping up the hood. With the built in mask on the inside and her hair tied back you could barely see just her eyes. Warn dark grey paints looked like they were made from something alike to her jacket, but not as stiff. She had her quiver on her side, tied to her belt on the right and her own pistol in its holster under it, almost being hidden from sight.

Lana intended to move her quiver back up on her back once through the hatch.

The young woman walked over to where Valory was, still with that fearless that came from growing up with the Deathclaw, something the others were not quiet able to understand how.

Valory lowered her head, ducking down to put it at Lana's level. Golden eyes squinting, and hummed happy at getting hugged around her head, "Be safe Lana, walk slow to keep quiet as you hunt."

"You be safe as well," Lana hugged tighter for a moment, as Valory was her only family in the Commonwealth. "We don't know what the Raiders might have hidden in the bunker."

"I intend on seeing a hundred years soon, I will be careful." Valory shifted and nudged Lana to start moving down to the lonely little church. "Hunt to be safe, I will meet you on the other side, my little one."

Lana kept her balance, walking down the hill from the Co-Op as the big deathclaw turned and strode out too before launching into a run to make it to the main entrance. She eyes the old church and wondered not for the first time if the glass could be replaced. She had to find out if someone was doing glass work in the area. The old church would be a great greenhouse and small house not far from the main settlement.

"Blake, you go down first, I'll lower you then Lana," Deegan's voice rumbled as the group made it inside, stepping around the dear remains. "That way you won't catch on things."

"And we can clear," Lana nodded, helping lift the hatch, standing to the side so not to be directly in view from below and going quite to listen.

Deegan checked to be sure it was clear before the scared man lifted Blake down. Lana had to sit in the edge before grasping the larger hand and sliding down. For a moment dangling in the air as she was lowered most of the way. Much like the man before her, Lana caught her foot on the end rungs, though Blake took a moment to help balance Lana so she would not drop and make extra sounds with her set up.

Blake was also feeling protective now with Lana, like he was with his own daughters. Though Lana had a sort of confidence that came from living and traveling in the wild lands. Maybe how Lana focused or how she moved, right now putting her quiver over to her back and bow in hand.

Maybe the difference was Lana was active? Actively seeking to improve what she saw. Not that Mary and Lucy were not trying to find ways to help and make things easier for the farm and family. They were not quiet to the point of being willing to root out raiders like Blake used to track and hunt spiders.

Deegan dropped the last foot down, scanning where the other two were, and then taking the lead.

It would be slow going, slower then what Edward was used to but with each rader they came across there was almost no sound, and very little blood spill. Deegan could appreciate that.

The scarred man took a deep breath before opening an inner door, Lana and Blake falling into a rhythm with Deegan's movements. Not a well oiled machine or professional fighters, yet they had experience with hunting wildlife.

There was something… odd though that nagged at the back of Deegan's mind as he led the way. Having to resort to breaking the neck of two sleeping raiders...

"There's more beds and sleeping areas then there are raiders." Blake whispered from another doorway. Checking to see if the room had any one with Lana.

"They could be up front." Lana pointed out, standing by the door to the next hall deeper in, listening through a crack in the door frame. An arrow notched but she was resting. "I think I hear a turret in the distance… being as this is the back side keep an eye out for a terminal?"

Edward nodded, "And lookout for any bits of paper with a random word. Not all raiders are completely literate for computers and typed in passwords."

Blake half followed over to the door, lingering back to only half watch the door, but mostly watching behind them. He and Lana had started to fall into the motions of alternating in who helps with the door and who was keeping an eye on their back trail. "They might be clustered near the turret. It's a reflex most people have."

Lana considered that, and nodded as she pulled out another arrow, only one notched but having the other ready in hand. It made sense, people staying near a thing they knew that could help protect them, even raiders were human in basics.

Not that Lana cared for Raiders and those that preyed on others.

She slipped out of the sleeping rooms as Deegan motioned her to. Holding up two fingers and pointing to the right. The young woman focusing her attention in that direction, Lana saw the two men on the far side of the hallway. Staying low to the ground she shifted to the left side of the hall and drew back.

There was a soft creak of the bow and then a double titch-tich of the arrows. One Raider fell and then the second, and Lana was focusing intently on the long distant. She had to trust Deegan and Blake to watch her back as Lana drew back on another arrow.

Wait.

Wait…

"What in the hells?" A man staggered into the far room, pausing as he saw the slumped and dropped bodies. Only to have his head jerk back as an arrow found it.

Lana took a deep breath. She hoped there was not too many raiders, not wanting to kill a lot of people, or the long process of dragging them out.


	8. Bunker

"What did you find?"

Lana tensed at first at the voice but relaxed as she recognized the low gravel. Looking up at Deegan from where she sat at the table that acted like a desk. "Surprisingly there's a lot here. This...Red? She was pretty well organized, though not as well without a sister it seems. Don't think we'll find her here though."

Deegan pulled over a chair and settled down, finally relaxing after the last of the clean up and locking up. Making sure no one was getting into that main entrance while they were taking stock. "Possibly an issue with a rival gang? They seemed pretty stretched thin here."

"I think so… it seems like one of the sisters was kidnapped and ransomed for food." Lana tapped a small stack of paper, "Looks like 'Red' left yesterday with some of her crew to try and sneak into... a place called 'Beantown Brewery' to save her sister."

"Rivel raider gang bull crap." Deegan snorted, but nodded, looking over to the door as Blake entered, carrying a crate that clinked slightly. The younger man passed out some purified water that he found.

"Yeah… from her notes she's not fully expecting her crew to all be here if she gets back." Lana sat back in her seat, stretching her legs beside the table as she sniffed the bottle, but the water seemed alright to start sipping.

"Oh?" Blake tilted his head, sinking into another chair and leaning on the table. The physical and mental stress of the raid... on the raiders finally showing. With everything locked up he could take a mental break with his guard down, his borrowed bow resting on the table like Lana.

"Yeah, she saw that wild male more than a few times snooping super close to the guards walking a patrol." Lana snorted and sank in her chair, "Apparently he's been around since Valory and I got in the area. Impressive that he was staying some distance from the Co-Op."

Though that male deathclaw seemed to be content to hover near by the stock pile entrance now. More so after they had locked it and pulled the dead bodies out into range for Valory to grab. The male deathclaw had been all sorts of confused that the bigger Valory buried the dead bodies rather then let him chew on them. Confused that she refused to see the raiders, humans as food, even snapping at him for trying to horde a body.

Lana was thankfully the wild male was smart enough not to push it.

Lana still wanted those shade triangles and tarps….just not right now. Let the wild deathclaw settle and calm down from all the excitement, as he nearly got too close to their group before Valory stepped in. There had been a quick fight, a salt like argument that had the male skittering back once he realized these were off limit humans and he was making the new matriarch angry.

"He's... not going to come around the farm you think?" Blake frowned a bit, sipping his own water.

"He shouldn't go near it." Lana reassured, smiling over at him, "Valory has made a point to include your family and farm in her territory patrol. She's marked an inner Pack area between our places… its a no-hunting zone other than what she, as a Matriarch, deems a threat to pack. In Deathclaw terms you and I are lesser...claws? Worker class or symbiotic packmates I guess. And that wild male isn't invited into the inner territory."

"I have noticed the yao guai aren't getting as close." Blake hummed thoughtfully, but looked up at the chuckle from Deegan.

"Yao guai is the latest kill Valory brought back last night," Deegan grinned, "At least what's left of it, we have a hind quarter to share with you."

"Bear, Yao guai, is one of Val's favorite meats." Lana mused, "She really shouldn't have eaten so much yesterday before running around today… I hope she's not going to be sick."

"The young lady is eighty years old, I'm sure she's capable of living with her choices." Deegan pointed out, finally opening his can of water. Still keeping an ear out, and staring at the papers. He reached out over the table, tapping it to get Lana's attention and pointed to some of the blank papers. She passed one and a pencil.

The scarred man started to write down names and the last place he knew them to be, finally getting the chance to do so undisturbed. There was always something to do.

Jake, and Jacky - carpenters brothers, were heading to the slog last fall.

Airetta, and her grandfather- Aaron? Masons, at the asylum, need to move them out.

1st guard shift at asylum, need to rotate them out and away from him. Good for guards, and physical help, half of the six are former Watchmen.

"I have some people I can send over here to help." Deegan spoke up, tapping his paper. "They'll work for their keep and to have a safe place. Some I need moved so they can have a mental break from the Asylum."

Blake looked up, startled a bit at the mention of the place, having heard stories from Connie in her youth. His wife was the connection to Deegan, why the man came by almost once, sometimes twice a month regularly over the years to buy a full crop.

"Asylum?" Lana tilted her head, puzzled at Deegan, not seeing Blake's look. "You have a place there? I think you mentioned a place before..."

"It's a kind of settlement, now, its where I said we grow some things." Deegan chuckled, "The old Parson's asylum, but my home and family are at the Cabot Manor. That's where you can always send someone to get me. At least get a message to me."

"Huh..." Lana filed that away mentally. "Just don't forget those seeds yea?"

"I won't if you won't," Deegan laughed, stretching in the chair as best he could. "Think you'll like having the bunker Lana?"

"Having?" Lana tilted her head, bemused while Blake brightened up. "It's nice to be cleared. And to get to plant things later… I bet the radexes moss will grow great undisturbed down here in thick mats… ooh that would work for the roofing..."

"I think she would love to have the bunker," Blake snorted, watching Lana blink at him, "My family will help if we can get some of the pre-war crops too. I won't contest."

Deegan nodded, pulling out the keys to the bunker and sliding them over to Lana. "I think you'll be the best one to hold onto these for now. I'll be sending people over for you to help, some might feel better down here to start with."

"Anyone that is willing to do honest work in this world is worth having around." Blake admitted, "There used to be one or two other families living with us, one moved to the creamery… that's where they wanted to go. Another couple lost their son to a bear, and wanted to just be anywhere else."

Blake looked down, thinking and then added, admitted, "Having help would be nice, if you really want to send people our way Deegan. As fit as I am… and as much as it was worth it joining in on this...it's a lot harder than it used to be."

"Not everyone has ghoul strength." Deegan nodded, "A good half would be ghouls I send over."

"I never really minded them." Blake shook his head, "some, a lot that are older have good knowledge. It was a ghoul woman that taught me how to hunt spiders long ago."

"Scarred ones, more the pre-war have lost skills too." Lana put in, though they knew she didn't mind. The woman shifted to point at her boots, "Vital lost skills."

Deegan laughed, glancing at his own boots, hand made, hand cobbled? "Yes… there's a small, mostly ghoul community that almost just make shoes and boots. The normal humans are still living descendants and spouses of them. One of the lucky groups to have that, more so after Diamond City."

"I never did approve of what they did. And not just saying that because you're here." Blake snorted and huffed, crossing his arms for a moment, he smiled, "Our tatos are better than the sad things they grow. Plus most of what we grow, if it's not going to your orders Deegan, it ends up at Goodneighbor. The Mayor there has been paying good caps for them and the sweeter melons when they were in season. It's just the winter ones right now."

"Hancock is a good man." Deegan agreed, and then snorted himself, glancing at Lana as she listened intently to this half gossip, "Don't get me wrong, he is still dangerous, and smarter than he lets on. I would have loved to get my hands in him when he was younger…but Hancock is a not so subtle power house in the Commonwealth now." One would be surprised how many would come running when he called for it, more so after the Cult Incident.

"How so?" Lana asked, admittedly fascinated by what was suddenly talked about.

"He's the Mayor of Goodnaighboor." Blake started to explain, "It's one of the rougher city settlements in the area. In Boston, when there's nowhere else to go, most end up there. Drifters, unsavory and just honest desperate sort of end up there. It's not nearly as bad or corrupt as it used to be,"

"Hancock my not have been elected, but he hasn't been demanded to step down." Deegan snorted, "He's been smart enough to separate what Goodneighbor owns and what he owns. But I don't know any other settlement leadership right now that adopts orphans of the wasteland just for the sake of keeping them safe until they know how to look after themselves or pick where they go."

"Or feed at least one meal a day to the drifters and junkies that are homeless. Even if it's just a mashed tatos with gravy." Blake looked bemused as he realized what was bought from his farm was likely for that.

"Once you're established, it might be with bringing some plant starts in that detection, the tabaco ones. I think I saw those seeds."

Lana arched an eyebrow, but smiled, "Both packs?"

Edward pointed at Lana, "Yes young lady. And when you get those plants, both the hemp and tobacco growing. You save some for me, I know I want good tabaco that's not gone through questionable travels, or almost as old as I am. And some of my family would be highly interested in the other."

"Other?" Blake wondered, what was hemp and why did it sound like something else?

"I brought a certain type of hemp plant, it's like a chem but… lighter?" Lana explained, and grinned at Deegan, "Cannabis, it's not as extinct as some think along the coasts. Mostly up north it's not uncommon to trade."

"I've never heard of either names," Blake admitted, "what kind of chem is it? What does it do?"

"It's a psychoactive drug, plant based," Lana sat up and flipped a page over to draw the plant, what it looked like, "It's used primarily for medical and recreational, helping with pain and calming down. It help some with sleep, you feel heady and calm on it, relaxed. You might need to drink more water like a lot of chems and get munchies-"

"We used it at one point to get sick people to want to eat when the sickness wasn't letting them eat." Deegan added, "For a chem, Cannabis isn't bad, not as addictive if I remember right."

"Compared to some chems maybe, but there's always a chance at addition no matter the vice." Lana pointed out, "Alcohol, gambling, chems. Buy for the most part this isn't a really harmful chem." Lana snorted, "Not that it's illegal anyone. But the whole of the plant is useful too, making butter, mixed in salads and the fibers of the stem. I have other hemp seeds that are a different strain, long term they're good for making cloth and fabrics for clothes, blankets and so on."

"Sometimes the way you talk Lana," Blake said, bemused, "You're clearly living in the wasteland like the rest of us, but others you go off on a tangent and I feel like you're much smarter than us."

"I had to go through a lot of work and classes before I could leave home with full support. I have to know all about the plants I took with me." Lana shook her head, "I'm not smarter than others-"

"Well," Deegan lifted a hand flat and tilted it back and forth, "I would argue you are, both of you have far more sense than a lot of people. Case in point…."

He motioned around at the old Federal Stockpile Bunker and the former Raiders that had lived there.

Blake laughed, "Education then? How long were you studying?"

"...well most all my life. We all had basic then advanced survival lessons throughout our lives, and basic education for reading, writing and math, all that good stuff." Lana doodled a bit more on her plant, "I sort of...fit into practical? Farming and animal husbandry with the moose. Luna is a good example, she'll listen to me and try to bite the others that are as if not more experienced...but that's a moose for you.

"When I wanted to go out exploring and trading, and...well see where seeds could survive. I got further training on how to survive on my own with and without Valory around. Hunting, skinning, getting a water purifier or generator going, how to make rad-away. How to make a bow and arrows from scratch and so on. I'm not the best at bullet making but I can roughly make some."

There was a moment of silence, the other two men thinking about what was said.

Finally Blake spoke up, "I can appreciate that Lana. Your family and community care deeply about you and the others of your generation to invest all that. I wish I had more of that when Lucy and Mary were growing up."

"My mom, and her dads, came from somewhere southwest of the Commonwealth, she's...still not good with the wilds but was always encouraging me, and my younger siblings. To learn from anyone and everyone offering a class. I don't think she'll ever want to go farther than down into the valley's village from the seed vault. That's where grandpas live now, they make really good dishes, clay and wood."

"I don't see anything wrong with that," Deegan hummed, "I've had more than a few people, men and women that never wanted to leave the manor once they realized they were safe there."

"I can't blame that," Blake hummed, "If you're place is half as protected like Connie mentioned."

"If may ask," Lana lifted a hand, "How did you all meet? No one explained."

"As you know I'm very old at this point," Edward laughed, a low gravelly sound that was not unpleasant. "My family is... different, older than even me. But they don't always know how to practically survive, good honest help around is needed. I try to make sure pay is fair, providing room and board. One of the girls is a rip old age now… we take care of her more than anything but she still tries to set out tea."

There was no hiding the fondness and pride in his family, and the 'kids' over the years.

"Connie, her grandmother and mother worked for us at the manor, and her when she was younger...until a young trapper came to take care of a bug issue at one of our farms she was at." Deegan looked pointedly at Blake, who flustered and turned red. "Who kept coming by for any kind of job to get a chance at talking to her. It was young dumb love struck if I ever saw it. Still sure Connie is the brains of the relationship."

"She really is," Blake smiled at the table, thinking of the first time he met his now wife, "She's called me stupid and oblivious before asking me to marry her. Now Mary and Lucy are just as smart, it scared me for a while, still does in a way."

"You can't keep the next generations sheltered forever," Deegan noted, sounding much like a father or grandfather himself. And looked pointedly at Lana, who blinked back. "It'll do more harm than good."

"True…" Blake was going thoughtful before sitting back. "If no one protests I think I'd like to go through the stores a bit more? Maybe get some treats for my girls and lady."

Lana gave a thumbs up, "let me know if you find any oils that are still good? Sometimes how they used to sealed oil, some sort of black magic that made it kept and didn't go rancid...as long as it's not jarred around."

Lana leaned back and made gimme hands, "I want the oil and make fresh soap!"

"Gods I need to make a list of other traders for you." Edward snorted and shook his head.

"Oooiil…!"

"You're as bad as Mary, Lana." Blake huffed and laughed as he got up, "There might have been something. The raiders only got so far into the supplies."

"Yay!" Lana leaned back, holding up her arms, after Blake left she relaxed, "...so some traders have oil?"

Deegan chuckled, "Yes, from the west. Some trader caravans travel from a few weeks to a month out and swing back. We have the razorgrain after all. You can get oil, crop plants, critters. For some reason they love the squirrels and are always looking for breeding stock. Sometimes tech if they're from the Capital Wastes."

"That's the old DC area right?" Lana frowned, "I don't want to go that way from what Uncle Ricky mentioned and from word on the roads."

"Avoid it." Edward growled the warning. The response not at Lana but for memories. "The bigoted asses over there are worse than Diamond City, and it's a resource dessert that the shifting powers keep hurting.

"Keep focused here Lana," the scarred man leveled his voice, "Get a good fountain going before you start your search."


	9. Concord Realestate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you skip a timed event, fate is forced to fill in the gaps with other things. But can one be wise enough to use the chance, or help in time?

"Why are we all the way over here?" Lucy yawned as he squinted around the outskirts of the old town. It was still in that grey light time before true dawn. "This early?"

"It's a fairly universal 'raiders are passed out' hour no matter where you go." Lana gave a soft snort as the other woman leaned on her back while Buck took slow but steady steps. Lana kept him to the grass and off the road as much as possible, and watched his ears and attention.

"Or about to be passing out." Lucy half warned, getting a hum back.

Lana chuckled as she added in regards to the question. "Also… fridges. I want one, or two, and a proper washing machine at some point. But I'll settle for a fridge to start with."

"And a generator?" Lucy snorted, remembering that was what her friend had mentioned.

"Yes, that too." Lana shifted as Buck finally stepped into the road and walked into town. Listening intently but after a moment he relaxed. "I wonder if anyone is around? Or Lost Ones?"

"I don't think there's any resident ferals… Lost Ones." Lucy paused, and smiled, "I like that term better I think, makes sense. Anyways, unless there's some trapped, or a….herd? Pack? Wondered into town? They seem to be attracted to bigger places and old cities."

"You noticed that too?" Lana half asked, pulling back on the rains, her eyes on the first two closest buildings that were much larger. A church, and another large place that had some dim old bulbs still glowing outside and inside, "Hoo… some of them seem to almost migrate? Like following the very basics of old routines… huh there's power here still."

"I think a few buildings have power," Lucy tried to sit up a bit, scanning from the buildings to their right and then down the street to the left. "I… never thought it did, but we're never really out at night or super early that's not next to the farm."

"Try and remember what places. If we can get a few generators we can get one for your family too, or parts to fix the one you have." Lana looked down the street, seeing no movement. "Lots of cars, we could get some stuff from them too. I wonder how easy it would be to get to power lines or wiring inside the walls of places."

Lana shifted as Buck stopped to study the area himself, listening before lifting his head up in the area. Lana was glancing down to the quiver in front of her, unhooking the bow beside it as she found an arrow with no head. Just a blunted cap to protect the shaft, she had a few of those.

"What are you doing?" Lucy asked, peering over the slightly shorter woman's shoulder.

"Making a sound to draw any Lost Ones out." Lana showed the arrow and then aimed it, shooting at one of the cars to make a sharp sound that bounced off the buildings a bit.

Buck's head swung around at the near clang, ears up before realizing it was his riders that did it. Remembering what could happen he squared up his feet and became more alert incase Buck needed to sweep his antlers in defense at any angry scuttling Lost Ones.

Lana shot the near car again, but there was just no response other than an angry little red bird.

"I think it's empty, no signs of raiders yelling about sound." Lana eyed the big building, "No matter what inside we do go to we still need to be careful though."

"Clear things first and then start looking for goodies in the builds?" Lucy guessed, getting a nod she paused and looked around. "...where should we start?"

"Big or little?"

"Big. One of the ones we can get the generator out easier." Lucy decided, feeling a thrill at talking about scavenging a building- planning and now doing without her dad hovering all worried to the point to calling off an adventure halfway through.

So worth staying the last few days with Lana to help with the calves, and then just surprisingly being safe while they explored the woods. Valory's presence was not far, though startling Lucy when catching the deathclaw in the corner of her eye, there were surprisingly no predators or feral mutated dogs. Now as Deegan was staying behind to mess with the stasis Mr. Handy at the Co-op, they were getting to go out scavenging?

Adventure!

They did have to be very careful, but if they could get all the good things safely without her dad hovering and worrying so bad that the crows were worried about him…

"Lets try the museum, it's where we got some wood from before, or at least mom said she got it from there. I remember her telling dad before winter there were still some good things." Lucy turned to their right, motioning to the front doors.

Lana nodded, "Get ready to lean back."

Lucy winced and shifted, unlatching her arms from Lana's middle to reach behind her and grasp the back of the big saddle. The other young woman que-ed Buck to bow and then lay down, his front end dipped, a speedy angle before the nose folded his legs.

"I don't know how you stay on him sometimes." Lucy grunted, climbing off first.

"I've lived with moose, elk and greater elk all my life." Lana reminded, offering Lucy the quiver before climbing off as well. She checked that their pistols were loaded, and they had spare bullets. Hocking the quiver over her back, Lana and Lucy took a moment to give Buck some attention. Rubbing around the bases of his antlers and ear.

Lana had to get her arrows, and the two opened the front doors. Listening to some faint recordings of music that still tried to play once a day. Buck climbed back up to his hooves, half following but his antlers caught on the door frame.

"No, no Buck," Lana said, coming back to push at the big nose. "Stay outside big gobby. I don't think the floors can hold up to fifty million tons of awesome moose."

Buck snorted, looking longingly inside, but stayed outside, despite the couple doors being propped open. That did not stop the moose from looking inside with big round eyes, pouting that he could not fit.

"Oh my gods, that face." Lucy tried really hard not to wibble back.

"For being a living war tank he's so pitiful isn't he?" Lana half asked, rubbing the long nose one more time before going inside the rest of the way. She sniffed the air, and though it was mostly still, it was not stale. Possibly from the wide open space of the main room, as the ceiling arched high up over their heads, even with the half wall of a sorts that held a gate inside.

There was a propeller from an old Vertibird poking through in one corner of the roof, but no light as some of the banners outside were blown up and over the plane at some time. Hocking on the plan instead of sliding off in the later storms like the other buildings.

"It's so strange." Lucy hummed as she studied the ceiling, the expanse of cracked windows that some of the oversized banners flopped over where the open windows were. The young woman paused and peered upward more carefully as Lana was double checking the old entryway. "Someone anchored things to cover the glass up there...and I smell tato plants."

Lana relaxed her bow, peering upwards as she stood beside Lucy, "I wouldn't be surprised that people took shelter here at one point, or several times over the years. Did you notice it's warmer inside? For how cool and cold it gets at night still."

"Not a whole lot more than outside but...yeah I can feel it." Lucy considered, if there were working heaters on power and not gas...those would be nice.

"Hmm…" Lana tilted her head in the way Lucy had learned was Lana's deeper consideration. She whistled loudly, waited and listened. "I don't think there's any Lost Ones here, look at the carpet and wood, it's not perfectly clean, then it's not stained by...you know, questionable discharge?"

Lana walked to the main inner gate, peering past it and wincing. The other woman trailed after to look as well, spotting the good...three foot hole in the floor.

"Oh, the floor has collapsed there." Lucy winced, eyeing the ground behind them. It had felt stable and looked in good condition with carpet still intact. "Guess that explains where mom got the wood."

"Yeah...would be useful wood." There was a pause and Lana wiggled her eyebrows at Lucy, getting a light shove for the pun.

"Oh gods, come on Plant Lady, let's see what's around." Lucy snorted, checked the lock but as she did not have anything to help walked to the right of the room, from walking in the main doors, to the south west.

Peering into the hallway, but it was distinctly empty of Lost Ones and evidence of them. Mostly clear floors that shifted from wood to stone, just some dust on the ground around the small wooden boxes and crates. There were several wooden barrels though that hand the two trying to peek in them, finding one had clean water, others…

"What is this?" Lana wondered, running a hand through what looked like seeds. Almost like a giant rice grains but it was a coppery tan color instead of brown tan of the rice that was back at her home right now.

"It's a kind of razorgrain." Lucy breathed, both young women guilty of letting their guard down, she ran her fingers through the seeds, "It's the oat one, it grows taller than the other two strains, and the seed clusters are bigger, like, longer the length of my hand. We ran out a while ago. But having a warm bowl of this with a little cream from the brahmin and some berries? Best thing on a cold morning or evenings."

"I wasn't expecting the color." Lana said, fascinated as she stepped to one of the short, mock street lamps that gave off a warm light. Watching the coppery shine and then inspecting one of the seeds, it seemed natural and not a coating. "The seeds are as big as my pinky's knuckle joint-"

Lana looked up suddenly and tilted her head to listen intently.

"What is it Lana?" Lucy asked worried, trying to hear what the other did.

"I….thought I heard someone crying." Lana hummed, glad her hair was pulled back. Though something about the statement had both girls puzzled and trying to place the feeling they had.

Lana moved first, gently placing the handful of seeds back in the barrel. But also pulled out one of the fabric plant sample bags she had, scooping the thick seeds in it and tying the top tightly. Slipping it away into one of her jacket's inner pockets.

The other barrels were peeked into, finding more of the same razorgrain, the boxes were not sealed and had assorted fabrics. Looking like displays stored in the open. The little heater in the hall gave a little pocket of warmth as they passed, making Lucy grin.

They stepped into the next room, listening to the automatic script in the speakers, though it was faint. But both lit up at seeing the perfectly preserved wonder sitting almost squished against the back wall. The wall itself painted beautifully, though faded with age it was like an active cityscape of stone and wooden buildings. While the object in the middle side of the room was filled with wooden crates, surrounded and sharply dressed mannequins in period clothes. Ropes were long since pulled away to the far side of the room, and the wagon was lit by two more 'street lamp' posts.

"Everything else aside, that... this is worth staying and getting it out of the building." Lana breathed, walking between mannequins and reaching for the wagon. Even if it took all day she wanted this. It would make things so much easier. Looking much younger as she inspected the wagon, ducking to look under and squeaked excitedly. "It's like, real-real Lucy! There's leaf springs and… proper brakes! It looks like one of the old hybrid wagons. Core things are metal or false wood, but the outer frame is wood? Orr…? I think it's just a modern wagon that's made to look like an old one. It might be sectional, probably how they got it in-"

Lana was halfway and then all the way under the wagon investigating to see if the metal rimmed wheels could in fact move, just having blocks between and behind the wheels.

Lucy grinned at her friend, though kept some of her attention listening out. She stepped closer and peered at a placard that was talking about the display. "What is a draft horse?"

The other young woman paused and peered back out, blinked and then had a moment of confusion that turned to a moment of self face-palming. "Right, not everyone knows about old animals. Supposedly horses are extinct but I don't think so? Drafts were a kind of horse way back when before the war… if I remember the history book right they were like Buck. Super big compared to other horses and made...bred for pulling and farm work. Like a lot of the moose are back home. Where as the elk we have are more for riding or light work."

Lana scanned the mural of the cityscape and pointed to one corner, "That, see that animal? It's a horse."

"Ohh, those." Lucy snapped her fingers, "I saw one in a book and on a poster before. I thought they were really neat… oh wow they got as big as Bulk?"

"I think so? Or close to it?" Lana considered and then shrugged. "I think it would be cool to see draft horses instead of draft mooses some time!"

"I think that would make life a lot easier. I wonder how much we can do with the brahmin like the horses and the moose?" Lucy wondered as she was looking around the rest of the room to peer at the displays against the wall, poking at the cinder blocks, finding them not cemented to one another, just stacked to be a half wall. Lucy peered into the cases through the glass at the assorted tools and preserved muskets. Something tickled at her mind before she blinked at the glass. The blond stood up and looked around, walking to where more barrels were lined up and peeking inside to find more dried razorgrain in them.

"You should be able to hook them up to carts instead of piling everything on their backs." Lana was saying, climbing up into the wagon now, squeaking as she found long wooden shafts stored in there with the boxes. "It might be better for them, or they could pull more then they could carry?"

That was an idea.

Lucy filed that information aside as she checked through the open doorway. It was much the same in the next room, where the stone cobble- some of the stone was loose in the middle of the room and on the sides. It turned back to wood but as thicker planks, with more barrels and now even some of the wooden boxes had the dried seed. Though Lucy was sure in one in the filled boxes looked like the flower variation of the razorgrain. Then she spotted it, what really made it all click in the back of Lucy's mind.

"It's almost like someone lived here recently." Lucy finally said, walking over to the neat stacks of woven baskets along the southwest wall, going almost all the way up to the ceiling.

The baskets were made of the longer razorgrain leaves and stalks, woven together to make baskets alike to the prewar ones. The first several in a stack, along the bottom were all rough and not that good, but as the stack continued up, the quality got better as the person was getting better at weaving over time.

Lana popped into the room, holding her bow with an arrow loosely notched. Hazel eyes scanning as well before seeing the neat stacks of baskets deep and tall ones as well as shallow and wide ones, pausing by the open doorway.

"How long ago?" Lana finally asked, eyeing the far exit to the room. She used the toe of her left foot to tap the thicker plank floor. "That's the question..." Lana stopped, remembering that she thought she heard a sob.

Lana shifted and tilted her head to the other doorway, arrow partly drawn, "Come on, lets go check things out before snooping some more."

When they came out in the second half of the main room, Lana took a moment to peer into the hole in the floor, finding it was not just everything that fell, it was in rough line with the back of the propeller above them. The hole itself was roughly an oval shape and looked to be pried up, not knocked down, and it looked like a few bucket was placed one the ground of the cellar.

The support beams of the floor looked to be well oiled to help it from rotting.

This took care, if possibly not a lot of knowledge, but care. Lana looked up again this time really paying attention to the side paths, the bridges… the smell around as the dawn breeze worked down from above, bringing with it the smell not just of tatos but also of grass. That earthy tone was faint but it was universal of cut grass.

Grass, but everything was mostly maintained if aged. The front door was unlocked but stiff like it was not opened much. Lana focused on the railing, the bridges until they came into better focused on and could see the way some of the side rails had painted wood attached to them. But neatly cut and fitted to blend in so at first look it looked like it was supposed to be like that. But over the tops, just visible was a fuzzy image that slowly focused into view for Lana. It looked like….the edges of tall grass, almost like the ornamental grass in the flower gardens.

"Is that razorgrain?" Lana asked, scanning the sides of the building, seeing another few semi blocked off areas, and what looked like the tatos plants in the second story. Something else on the now far side of the building, squinting to try and see.

"Maybe? How can you tell?" Luvy frowned as she stared at Lana when she started blinking. Something was off, she could not quite be sure. "Wait-"

"I'll explain later." Lana interrupted, gently but clearly not something she wanted to talk about right then. She shook her head and blinked several times before being able to see up close again, "I think... someone is here still, but something is wrong, it's too cared for yet no one is answering us-"

It was Lucy's turn to suddenly perk up suddenly, holding a hand as she tilted her head. Lana going quite as she listened too…

And there.

A soft, muffled really, but still there sound, and mixed with a choking wheezing. Both young women found their eyes tracking to one of the inner windows that were open above the main entrance. Possibly offices but someone was gasping and crying out in a softening tone.

It was at the Same moment that the two recognized the sound, one that was if the wasteland hazards.

Someone was choking from a chem overdose. Likely not quite yet to that point where they were fully 'out if it' too noticed it was happening to them. It was a horrific thing both Lana nor Lucy would not wish in most people.

Lana swung her bow up around her shoulder as she charged up the steps, turning to her left as that north side of the building had a sign for more stairs beyond a door. Lucy on the straight stretch was able to out pace Lana, dodging around the neat pots of tatos, razorgrains and what looked like tobacco plants and the c chamomile plants along the right wall. All healthy large plants that implied someone trying to get by, activity caring for and wanting to survive over the years, even saving harvests. Things implied long years, possibly a scared one. A ghoul in local terms that was just trying peacefully survive.

Lucy found the door the now desperate chilling was coming from at the top of the stairs and back out into the open hall. It was the main offices according to the signs. Lucy tried the door, finding it locked despite the open main doors. Maybe they had been forgotten about.

"We hear you!" Lucy called as she backed up to try to kick the door by the doorknob, "Hold on- we're coming! Lana help me!"

Lana arrived, the arrow slid into the quiver as she charged, running into the door with Lucy in time. The door trembled, the top tilting in an inch and snapping back. Beyond it someone wheezed and tried to gasp, a gargled word coming out.

"Fuck-" Lana scanned around frame, while Lucy cursed too.

"I don't have any lock picking tools, I wasn't expecting to use them- what do we do?" Lucy glanced over at the nearest of the window frames. For a moment wondering if one of them could make the jump, and then Lucy was pulled back.

"Fuck this," Lana pulled out her pistol, flipped the safety and put it against the lock, firing rapidly three times, tilted up and to the right, away from where the muffled sounds were.

"...right, we have guns." Lucy realized and moved to help hit the door again, this time it popped open and smacked against the wall to swing back, but Lucy had to kick it again to keep from being smacked back.

Lana was already inside the well lived-in room, reflexively sweeping for any dangers, but only a scarred woman was lying on the ground. Gasping shallowly as she stared with wide eyes at the two younger women. A reused inhaler canister lay on the ground not far from the curled hands.

She was in a mostly clean blue dress, laying in a stream of warming morning sunlight from the balcony window as there was a lingering certain smell. Hazy blue eyes were glazing as the ghoul gasped again, trying to cough.

Lana shoved the pistol into its holster as she came around to the scarred woman's side, huffing and knocked the inhaler aside. "She's having an allergic reaction to the Jet."

"What do we do?" Lucy asked coming down on the other side, helping pull the woman over to her left side with Lana.

"You need to run down to Buck, in the back pack behind the saddle, there's a red and white sealed bac, grab that and haul ass back." Lana was saying as she dug several things out of her jacket, pulling out a small kit of little power filled bags and straws, "She's having the same reaction I do- Hurry!"

In one, two motions Lucy shrugged out of her jacket and two collection bags while rising back up. With only her own new pistol strapped on, the lighter blond was gone. Making full used of years of experience of running over all sorts of terrain to dash out and down the stairs.

"I'm sorry this is a bit primitive seeming but it will help until I get those meds. Try and breathe in." Lana said, looking into the other's eyes, a faint shift and a scarred hand trying to reach for her, wanting help. Lana put some of the power into the straw, ducking to blow it into the other's open nasal cavity to the thin skin inside, where it was easier to absorb.

To many it was a primitive way of doing things, but it had served countless shaman other the centuries, likely still did. It was the first iteration of inhalers, in Lana's care her emergency meds when her own inhalers were not on hand, or if she needed to refill them.

The scarred woman gasped, coughed and then gasped again. "Oh...oh-"

"Shhh, just focus on breathing," Lana reassured, setting aside the straw and grasping the twitching hand, shifting so the other could rest her head on Lana's leg. "Just get oxygen in you, slow breaths, in, out… in… out… take your time to find your rhythm."

The ghoul woman twitched several times, still struggling to breath but not as gasping. Lana could hear voices in the semi-distance, wondering if Deegan had ended up following them.

"...thank you..." a soft gasp of a voice, and the hand holding Lana's squeezed lightly.

"You're welcome," Lana smiled down and ran her free fingertips over the other woman's temple and scalp. Feeling her shiver, but press into the motion, as if touch starved.

She likely was touch starved Lana realized, depending on how long she had been hiding alone in the old museum. "Lucy will be back, my name is Lana- hey hey, don't try and move yet. Relax your muscles and just try to remember slow breathing. I've had this same ration before, its going to be a while of just resting before you can go jogging."

There was a soft giggle at that, as Lana could hear someone running up the far steps. Lana tilted her head, "That's more than one set footsteps."

The ghoul tugged on Lana's hand, "It might….might be the nice brothers… and man. they were going to help me. They...they are like me."

"Okay," Lana nodded, glancing to the door half open, shifting into a position that seemed like she was settling, stretching out her legs to keep them from going to sleep. It also gave Lana better access to her side arm, the woman doing a mental count in her head. She shot three times… leaving seven shots to use just in case, as her bow was in a too awkward of a position.

"Megan?" a rasping voice echoed in the hall.

"Miss Hayes!" Another rough voice as they moved, trying to keep up with Lucy's adrenaline filled charge.

"Lana I got it!" Lucy was in the hall just outside of the room, coming in with the semi heavy red and white medical bag. Another ghoul on her heels, catching the door frame to help stop himself as Lucy staged to a stop. Fumbled with the bag and half passed, half tossed it to her friend.

Lana was just able to catch it before it hit her and- Magan?- in the head or back. She freed her hand, motioned Lucy to sit, though the taller blond sat in front of the ghoul, reaching to grasp the trembling hand. Lana opened the protected case, finding one of the little sealed veils, a needle and syringe. No pressured release needles but a simple old fashion one, Lana also grabbed one of the three inhalers in the kit, one that had blue paint on the top canister.

"This will help with counteracting the Jet in your system- Megan? Was that your name?"

The ghoul woman nodded, taking the inhaler that was offered first. "Yes..."

"Okay, take two puffs of that, it will help you with opening your throat. The needle will pinch in a minute." Lana instructed, glancing at the other scarred man that was settling on the floor in Megan's line of sight, worried but still smiling to be reassuring. Lucy helped with the inhaler that would help, and before Lucy could really find the time to possibly protest the injection, Lana was already finishing.

"What happened?" the man asked worried, real worry and concerned on his face and in his eyes.

"She had an allergic reaction," Lana nodded to the Jet inhaler, finally spotting that there was a box that seemed to have fallon from off the top of one of the wooden filing cabinets lining the west wall. "An accident?"

Megan nodded, her breathing finally settling and calming down, "I've...found chems over the years… I thought I could...sell them? It fell and...and..."

"Discharged," Lucy guessed, shaking her head, "Those Jet inhalers have been messed with so much over the years... I'm not surprised."

"It must have been near the full dose," Lana guessed, shaking her head and reached for the blue top inhaler, whipping it on her shirt and taking a puff from it, "I can still smell it."

The man looked around and moved to the balcony door as he heard his brother and friend finally making it up the last set of stairs. Opening the door to let the morning breeze in and help flush out what was lingering in the room. "Here… gods I wish we had stayed here last night, even if it was sleeping downstairs."

"What happened?" One of the other too men, about half a head taller than the other two.

"Is Miss Hayes alright? What happened?" The other man asked, putting back on the glasses he had been holding on the mad scrambled run. He stayed by the door though to be out of the way.

"She should be okay after a bit," Lana assured, tilting her head at the group now forming, a little surprised that Buck was calling worriedly from the street and not somehow outside the door. "Well… hi? My name's Lana, this is my friend Lucy."

Lucy gave a little wave from where she was sitting, her own heavy breathing just starting to calm down.


	10. Razorgrain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plaaaaaaaaaaaaaaants! and new friends!

"I can't believe I forgot to lock the front doors last night." Megan winced, more at herself then anything, "Almost three centuries of keeping safe and I forgot to lock the doors...not that I'm not grateful."

She looked up at the two girls- young women… they seemed so oddly like girls to Megan. But also she did feel old in some ways.

Lana grinned from where she sat in one of the swivel chairs brought in the warm room, swaying back and forth with the smallest of squeaks. "I'm glad we heard you, though I'm sorry it wasn't sooner."

"I thought I had heard a whistle," Megan admitted, glancing at the taller man beside her, Jacky grinned back. "I thought it was them coming back early. So I was putting the box of chems I found up and… it fell. I couldn't breath after that."

Jake, the shorter of the two ghoul brothers and who had first come in the room after Lucy spoke up from the second couch "We were getting up to come over… then we heard the gunshots. That critter you girls had just about gave us a heart attack I will admit, standing on the outside wall like that."

"Buck was probably responding to us yelling." Lucy guessed, she was sitting up on a desk that was pushed to the far side near the door with the second desk. The one she sat on was at least clear, were as the one in the corner had Megan's cooking and dinning things on it, including a little hotplate and a kettle. All the dishes, pan and pot where neatly stacked and covered with small towels. A semi clear plastic box was near with dried out noodles.

Megan herself was sitting on the bigger couch, one that had her blankets and pillows neatly stacked, and another thin blanket tossed over for helping it stay clean. The older woman had a knitted shawl over her shoulders, mostly as a comfort thing then really to stay warm. It was one of the splashes of warm colors to the earthy tones in the room.

"Oh, um, when Lucy and I were poking around, we found the...razorgrain? In the barrels." Lana dug out the bag from her jacket, offering it back, "I took a sample but I didn't realize anyone lived here yet."

"You can keep it," Megan reassured, shaking her head at the bag, "Everything downstairs is older stuff, overflow, and I get so much every two weeks that I feed some to the wild turkeys and geese when they come up north. That way I can find where their eggs and nests are."

"You have an impressive set up." Lana noted, putting the bag away, not ashamed to admit that she wanted the seeds, "Is it really two weeks for each harvest?"

Megan gave a shy smile as the others nodded around the room, "For happy plants yeah, some times weekly if they're older and happy plants.

"That's amazing," Lana breathed, the little bag in her jacket feeling like it was worth more than gold, even if it did not do half as many things as she heard, just purely for the animal feed factor…

"Turkeys like it?" Lucy tilted her head, "I wonder if your quail would like the grain it makes... we'd have to crack it or crush it up for them."

"Quail?" The last man echoed, looking up at the two girls, coming out of his thoughts. Noel as he had been introduced as. "You have quail? Real ones?"

Lana hesitated but then nodded, holding her hands apart to show how by they are, "The biggest are around a pound now, but I have...three dozen or so eggs about to hatch soon...I was hoping to find one of those food traders to get some of the razorgrain to try it with my birds. I brought enough from home to get a good breading stalk foundation going, and I'm not ready to start harvesting any for a while."

"But they are real?" Noel had a wondering tone, the man was dressed in a not so old leather jacket in a bomber style. His eyes were silvery and lightened as he sat up a bit more, "I… well, my daughters used to have some as pets, a long time ago."

Lana reached back, feeling through the arrows in the quiver on her back, there were all fletched a bit differently to mark different types of arrows. She found one of them and pulled it out, holding the arrow by the head end she offered it out to Noel. He hesitantly took it, and then realized he was being shown the feathers on it, running a hand over the brown feathers.

"Quail and rabbits are normal for those like me to take out traveling from home." Lana explained, "They can eat the moss I brought with us, and there's still little bugs, but mixing the diets is good and helps with growing."

"You have a homestead not far?" Jacky asked, head tilting at the mention of rabbits, and like his brother Jake glanced at Megan.

"Not that far from Lucy and her family, a walk away from there. My sister and I have set up in the Co-op." Lana explained, pointing in the general direction. "We only just arrived in the commonwealth not long ago, so they and Deegan have been helping us get the feel of the place."

"Deegan?" Jake perked right up, sitting up to, "Edward Deegan of the Cabot House? He is in the area still…"

"... yes?" The young woman tilted her head, not triggered to be overly worried by still warry.

"We've been heading in this detection to see if he had any work for us." Jake explained, motioning to his brother, "Jacky and I are carpenters, and Noel is an electrician in basics."

"Really?" Lana tilted her head, exchanging glances with Lucy. They were trying not to show their excitement. "That's amazing! See, the whole reason we came here was to look for generators, and fridges mainly for our families."

"Lana and I were hoping to find laundry washing machines too… even if they had to stay over here for now." Lucy added.

Noel smiled, passing back the arrow to Lana, "If you don't mind this old man staying around for a while, I can help you with that."

"There's…." Megan started hesitantly, getting a nudge from Jacky. "There are a few different working washers in town, and generators. There's three in the basement here when the building only uses one."

"I don't want to take your back up." Lana shook her head, "You're home is really nice here Megan."

"I… I…" the scarred woman shivered, grasping Jacky's hand for reassurances. Her voice soft, hitching as she talked, holding back sudden emotions. "I'm…. tired of being alone... I'm tired of being scared...but I am scared of outside, I don't…want to be left alone anymore…"

Lana softened, thinking in the back of her mind of her own mother. Of how Deegan had mentioned that he has had some people that never wanted to leave his home, manor, once someone realized it was truly safe. This museum had been Megan's home for nearly three hundred years, but the want and craving for company.

The strawberry blonde moved forward, sliding off her chair and coming over to kneel in front of Megan. Grasping her free hand and pressing the trembling fingers between her own hands. Putting as much as real warmth and reassurances in Lana's own voice. "Megan, if you want to come with us, you can. I could use the help with my home, it's the Co-Op over by the nearby damn. I know my sister can be scary though, so maybe the Abernathy's, Lucy's family could use a hand too."

Lucy was climbing to her feet, her own eyes soft, "We could always use a hand in the farm."

"I...don't have a lot of experience with much." Megan admitted, "I really just know about plants, history and finding turkey eggs."

"That's still a lot," Jacky reassured, "Look at all you accomplished here."

Megan glanced around at the offices she had slowly turned into her little home. Then about her plants and the plants on the roof… the years of taking care of the building and learning how to maintain the generators by reading manuals. Finding things in town as Concord had always been fairly abandoned.

"I'm really just good with plants now." Megan murmured, blinking as Lana grinned at that.

"Being good with plants is what I want," Lana pointed out, her eyes bright, "That's sort of my whole thing, and for being out this far east. I'm from a seed bunker Megan, and I'm looking for another one out this way. But I need to set up a home first. If you really want to be out of here, but safe, you can help Valory and I."

"She keeps both of our families safe now," Lucy put it, taking Lana's lead and not mentioning who or what Valory was just yet.

"I… I think I'd like that." Megan murmured.

"I think most of us really only want that," Jake added softly, "Somewhere we can just have a home and some honest work. As nice and good as it is to work for the Cabots, its not consistent work right now, maybe in a few years when the Asylum needs shoring up."

"Getting some conveniences as a standard though would be nice," Lana chuckled, moving to sit on the other side of Megan for a moment. Giving the older woman a tight hug, no hesitation and it seemed to help some of the shivers and shakes. She wondered if Megan might do good with one or two of the rabbits as companion pets. As this and the next generations of rabbits were a breeding foundation for later meat rabbits… There was also the one dwarf bunny that had been born on the long trip over Lana had been admittedly cuddling a lot.

"I think I have something for you," Lana decided, "If you come over, and even if the cabins are a bit drafty right now there's plenty of room for you to have your own space. That cart down stairs? If you don't mind, I'd love to get that outside and Buck can easily pull supplies from here to the Co-Op."

"We can help with the drafts." Jacky smiled, "I remember the Co-Op, they were simple but sturdy cabins. Those were half pre-made, like ones used in newer campgrounds, way back when I was young."

"As for the cart." Jake tapped his chin, thinking of that large moose. It was horse like, though things would have to be altered to fit him… "I think we could help with that too. I wonder if more carts could be made… can't believe it hasn't been done yet."

"There's carts back home," Lana pointed out, "And other places, just depends on resources for wood and if not paved ones but dirt roads. Buck can pull about twice his weight, and when the girls are able to and ready, I can set them up in a team."

"Ready?" Noel echoed, listening carefully to what was said.

"Their dropping calves soon," Lana explained proudly, "Wouldn't be shocked if it was tonight for Luna, the Brahmin cow we have just gave birth yesterday, so all the hormones on the air, and both moose cows are ready to pop."

"Baby Brahmin?" Megan brightened a bit, "Are they the fuzzy kind? I used to watch a herd fifty years ago through the windows."

"Yep!" Lucy laughed, "Don't know where the mother found her bull, but the babies are fuzzy and brown, instead of white or cream colored. Lana and Deegan found her, loaded up with trader stuff but had been wandering most of her pregnancy I'd bet, with a deer herd."

"One of the Brahmin that lost their people?" Noel hummed in sympathy, "Poor thing."

"She's doing pretty good now," Lana smiled, thinking of the mother cow with her two calves, "We're kind of penning her into a small set area so she can recover from however long she was carrying that stuff. The milk is interesting though, it's...fattier than moose milk, not bad though."

"Really good for gravy." Jake grinned, getting a smile from the girls.

Megan leaned on Lana, trying to draw from the strength she sensed. Despite being older than Lana. the girl had experience with living in the outside world in general, or at least seemed that way. She was not scared of the world. "Would...the razorgrain really help?"

"I think it would," Lana admitted, "We could get a bunch growing, if their roots are deep enough, some growing on the hillside would be good in case of flooding or over spill with the dam. And Lucy's family have open crop space."

"I just have the oat and flower types. But you can both use them and the stored stuff… could I meet the quail though?"

"You can, I could use help with them, and the baby rabbits." Lana smiled at Megan, smoothing a hand over her head, no sign of being bothered by the scarring. "They're going to be more than a handful soon."

"I would like that." Megan nodded, taking a deep breath of the cool morning air that was coming in off and on with the breeze and the still cracked open. "I should show you my plants."

"You should rest still," Lana shook her head.

"Its still what? Seven in the morning," Noel snorted softly glancing at his watch, "There's still much of the day left. You rest and maybe we can break our fast. I found some mulberries to go with the winter berries."

"Winter berries?" Lana tilted her head, "What's that?"

"Its a kind of strawberry, but white." Noel explained, smiling, "Not sure if you girls know what they are. But they grow a bit wild."

"We have strawberries back home," Lana murmured, but seemed fascinated at what this new variation might be like. "They're only growing inside the cirrus tree wing. If there's any nearby I'd love to see them."

"You talk like you're from a big Vault." Noel noted as he tilted his head. "If I may ask dear, what is this seed Bunker?"

Lana grinned wide at him, "well… where I'm from is in basics a massive vault. Not Vault Tech, the original company was called Bolder Bay Technologies. My many times great grandpa had commissioned them as much as brought into the company and...sort of duped the old States to give him access and permission to build in several old national parks. To make seed bunkers like the ones that were in…. Sweden? Ours was in a place the bombs didn't drop near, but even the near by village were aloud to take shelter there with the workers. All the equipment was shut down against any emps. That way, once it was safe we could keep recharging the massive power cells and keep digging."

Lana made a motion with her hands, triangle like, "We have a lot of room to spread out inside the mountain, and the local hydro power plant helps with the lights and heat. It also recharges the cells for the drills. Once or twice a year we expand new 'wings' at different levels. By product slabs, bricks and ore are used to build the new homes in the valley."

"That sounds like a hell of a place...and... Seeds... all the pre-war seeds and trees?" Jacky frowned, "Why are you out this way Lana?"

Lana shrugged and spread her hands out, "What use are the seeds if we can't reseed? Despite the bombs not far you're lucky here to have low rads and trees that are resistant for some reason to radiation. But there's supposed to be another seed bank near here, another bunker somewhere in the greater Boston area...or near it. Soooo, that's what I'm looking for."

"You're looking for it." Noel hummed thoughtful as he echoed that.

Lana nodded, glancing down at her boots then reflexively to the window. "I know it may seem naïve to some, but I do believe that we need to try and spread healthy green again. There's some pollinators still, I had my flower flies hatch out already with the wild flowers around so there will be more when my plants start flowering. It's such a marvel there's still grass here and the radexes moss I brought is partnering with it so far with it. Brahmin and the wild dear like it so far like my moose do."

"Rebuild the world from the ground up." Jake said slowly, eyes dissentient as he looked into the past. Quoting the motto of his family's old business. His brother looking over, eyes widening though the girls missed the double meaning.

Lucy was nodding though, "It makes sense though, good plants to help earth, in turn it helps animals and us. Can't do much with bad ground, for our food or food for the animals we eat and use."

"You're right lass." Jacky ran a hand over his head, missing his hat and then chuckling to himself, "If this isn't one hell of a sign Jake, I don't know what is."

Jake leaned back into his seat, "You're right. They're right. We'd like to help you Lana, and as bad as it sounds I'd love to see some old foods again… would you maybe have brought any pumpkins?"

Lana held up two fingers, "Two kinds. A few seeds each and some of the watermelon for sure Deegan has laid claim to, he was going to give me some of each razorgrain, I'm all for different sources of the same plants. And to introduce me to someplace called the...Slog? they make something that helps plants with radiation?"

"We came from there," Noel smiled, "Spent the winter there. It's one of, if not the best ghoul friendly settlements, a bit of a hike but quite a bit more peaceful than Goodneighbor. They don't mind unaltered people visiting, or staying for a while though."

Lana smiled delighted to hear this from another source.

"I don't think I could make it that far. But I would like to see your place Lana." Megan added quietly.

"Should we go take a peek at the wagon?" Jake asked his brother who nodded back.

"It looked like it was made to be taken apart and put together in sections." Lana added, blinking as Megan took a deep breath and nudged her to get up.

"I'll stay with miss Hayes," Noel offered, pulling out a bag from one of his pockets, "And make some tea."

"I'll stay too," Lucy offered as she shifted, ready to trade places with Lana, "You should check in on Buck, pant lady, so he doesn't somehow climb the building or break in."

"Yeaaah, good idea." Lana smiled at Megan and gave her a squeeze around the shoulders before getting up with the carpenter brothers.

Lucy was shameless, or rather just as unbothered to sit down and offer to give Megan a hug. The scarred woman hesitated but accepted, and squeaked at the just as reassuringly tight hug.

Noel smiled, moving to sit on the money lady's other side, giving a quiet sense of her not being alone as he showed her the tea.


	11. Storm Warning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, I think I edited this chapter about five time, loosening all progress each time x.X for give me for anything I missed... I'm tired. its been a long hard, and emotional day

"It's like a Mr. Handy toddler in a way." Lana realized, looking bemused at the other robot hat was bobbing around the planted crops of the Co-Op, muttering soft words of awe at the world around him much like a toddler. He was colored mostly in a dull, military green and mat silver in the joints.

The other, black and gold Mr. Handy drifted closer to Lana, his arms politely tucked, "Is...he alright, miss Lana?"

"I'm not sure Fredrick," Lana admitted as she rubbed the back of her head. "He's been in stasis for the whole time Deegan and I were setting up here, who knows how long before that. Or what knocked him into it for that matter. But if he stays non-violent we can find work for him."

"Hmm…" Fredrick tilted his eye stocks, one optic was keeping track of what was around them at all times, one focusing on the green robot and the last optic watched Lana intently. "Perhaps he can help care for the plants in the museum until you can move them all out?"

"That might be a good idea." Lana smiled, so far 'Dude' had managed to learn how to water the plants here and not damage them while under Edward's supervision during the time Lana and Lucy had been at the museum. "We can see if he can handle it on his own next time we go over… though I want you here to help, and help Megan."

"My systems are imprinting on you though miss Lana." Fredrick worried, he liked the idea of just one human, maybe two, right now to take care of... though he had a mostly hidden fret, given that he had seen just no one outside the two groups.

"I don't mind if you do," Lana glanced around and nodded to where Megan was sitting on a porch, across the Co-Op, her whole focus on the small blue-grey fuzzy rabbit that was in her lap. She made sure her voice was low and would not carry, "But, well, I can survive without much help… I'm worried she might not be able to with the change."

It sounded worse than she meant, Lana was worried about the older woman's mental health being out away from her safe place. As Megan had admitted it was the first time in nearly a year she left the museum.

Fredrick hummed thoughtfully, able to put together that, or assume himself what his new human meant.

None of the things that the Mr. Handy had seen so far were what he was expecting to be around when waking up. Not a warm home, a professional showroom, or even the factory he was made in. But it was a broken down store, with cracked and some missing windows, faded wood as Lana activated him. Though seeing the elated expression on the young woman had upon seeing him activate for the first time, pretty much made up for the confusing setting.

Admittedly, Miss Megan was there after he was fully aware again, startled at the time that his internal clock said had passed since being shipped. Perhaps it was the fact that there were only so many people, so few people, around that was what really bothered Fredrick. How quiet it was without the ebb and flow of the general public outside, even the semi distant sounds of traffic he had known in the factory and the training grounds area.

It would be rather easy to bond to all the humans present, even the poor scarred chaps. Fredrick still felt a bit embarrassed, as he had reflexively offered some bandages at meeting Jake the first time. But the man had been in good humor about it, even helping Fredrick understand the current state of the world.

"Realistically," Lana added, looking around, bringing the robot butler back to focus, "What you would be doing to help me would be helping the others in turn. And when looking for samples and new plants, or supplies, I want someone here that I can fully trust that can look after things."

"I can do this," Fredrick promised as he bobbed gently in the air. Eyeing some of the bushes that had been transplanted already to the sides of the cabins. Preprogrammed and some practical in-mech teaching on how to groom shrubs coming back to his processor.

"The animals I brought are very valuable." Lana admitted to him, "I don't think I can replace them at all. I thought there might be local rabbits and quail here too, to help with the breeding stock."

"I'll keep an eye out," Frederick promised, "It's surprising how much has survived, and the animals though different are still around. I saw quite a lot of squirrels and rather large lizards."

"Yeah," Lana smiled as she watched one of the big iguanas climbing up a cabin to nibble on the radexes moss on the roof. Thankfully not making much of a dent in it. Surprised that the other iguanas were not up and on the roofs as well. Normally there was at least one male a few females hanging around up there.

Per roof at that.

"I do want to get a large cage setup for the iguanas sometime soon, make sure a lot of babies can be protected so I can have a diverse breed stock to take home."

"It looks like there's still much to do here, and some clean-up before finding the propped fencing." The robot butler peered up and then around, wondering when the chubby squirrels were going to be out and about in the morning.

"There's always going to be something to do for a while," Lana sighed before she smiled up at Fredrick's closer optic, "But hopefully we can have a day or two out of the week to rest now that there's more of us. And by the time I should be ready for more eggs... I will have the radexes moss…..but the iguanas are laying eggs soon."

A bemused humming drew their attention back to where Valory was lying curled up loosely in the sun. It helped the new people get used to her, though oddly it was Megan who dared to come touch the warm hide the day before. As she had only ever seen a Deathclaw from a far distance, not quite having the same, fully ingrained fear of them like others did.

Getting to see Valory in her afternoon nap time also helped the newcomers get used to her talking. By way of the sleepy murmured words of sleep talking or half responding to the conversation around her.

Lana stretched her arms over her head, "At least we have one fridge now that's working now, even if there's no oven yet, we can store fresh meat for so much longer."

"It's a good thing for sure." Fredrick agreed, following Lana as she continued to do her morning routine for the day. Checking on animals and plants, "Have you considered making a wood fire oven Miss Lana? Or smoker to help preserve the proteins in the form of sausages as well as the jerky?"

"I'm not sure how to make either of those." Lana admitted, stepping inside the pen with the new mother Brahmin, munching away at cut grass that had been gathered in the early morning. "I know there was a thing like that back home with the electric ovens, but… I don't know how they were made. I can make a pot belly stove out of empty propane tanks for heat and cooking crock pots on top. I wonder how they're made."

"I was taught how to clean and care for one, I believe it was for pizza and bread. But perhaps the same form could be used for roasts and casseroles?" Fredrick hazard to guess, bring both the old and fresh memories of his training. Bringing the image of that wood stove to the forefront of his mind and how it seemed to be made. "I think...I remember it fully from my training, should I write or draw it out when there is paper?"

"That would be a great thing if you remember," Lana nodded, coming out of the pen as the brahmin lifted her heads to listen, and moving to check the far western and up hill cabin, where they had stored the non vital things. "I'll try and find some good paper, but at this point if you need to draw it out in a larger scale we can find a sheet of wood or metal sheet that way you can get more details and we can have a blueprint… oh! We have your shipping box still, would that work?"

Frederick wiggled his arms excitedly in response, though he examined the porch that creaked worryingly under Lana, and then looked around at neatly stored tables and other things inside. This cabin like the others had a thick mat of dark green moss growing on the roof, not so slowly spreading as it fed off the rads in the air and morning dew. "That would work wonderfully! I'm pleased my old shipping box could be useful, and it would be easier to preserve. Or I would assume."

"Also easier to share." Lana nodded and smiled as she picked up a couple of buckets to take back. "The Abernathys would probably like one too. We have some cinder blocks both here and there, and more that are in the museum. I wonder what's under that 'cobblestone' section. A lot of the stones were loose. Maybe we could use them too."

"There were plenty of broken free bricks in Concord," Fredrick pointed out, lifting his grasping claw. "Even if they were on the street, I'm sure a good fire will help sterilize them in a simpler way."

"Good point Frederick! I wonder how the bread is going to be like made with the razorgrain flower, or if there's any yeast here." Lana paused in the walk to where the bull Brahmin was tied to a long line for his turn at grazing on the hill. The bull was walking southward as if trying to reach a new spot. "I didn't take any with me, I just have some cornbread mix for comfort food for a few holidays. Maybe one of the bigger settlements has some yeast or mother starter? I should ask Connie, not sure if Deegan would know….then again he seems to know a bit of everything."

The two paused at a not so muffled thunder clap rolled by, starting soft and then a second roll of thunder was a louder crack. Lana looked up and scanned around the north and western horizons first. She saw the others were coming to alert, even Lucy as they seemed to be searching for the source.

Deegan was getting up, for once without his armor as he had been cleaning it that morning. The scarred man was the first to trot to the easter downslope of the hill the Co-Op was on, getting a better look to the south.

"Lana!" Lucy called, waving for attention as she followed after, the rest of their group coming as well at another semi distant roll of thunder.

Alerted that something was off, Lana picked up her feet and trotted over to Deegan. Having to hop over some of the newly re-tilled rows ready for plant, and few had tatos from Connie and some of the transplanted razorgrain that came from the rooftop garden on Megan's museum.

"What's wrong?" Lana asked as she slowed, reaching for the arm Edward held out for her to catch herself. The arm might as well have been a steel bar as the ghoul flexed to keep it steady. He pointed to the south where the skyline was almost completely darkening. There was a flicker of greenish light in the clouds, and just as Lana was realizing it was a form of lightning, a second larger bolt cracked the horizon.

One, two, three…

Lana automatically started to count, aware some of the others were doing so as well under their breath.

Six, seven, eight…

Each second for a mile, fairly universal knowledge that had been passed down through ages.

Eleven, twe-

Thunder rolled past, almost a double beat.

"Twelve miles out to the edge of the storm." Jacky spoke up first, the scarred man lifting a hand to shield his eyes in the morning sun, "That's one hell of a winter send off storm."

Valory stepped quietly up as she lifted onto her hide legs as far as she could for a better look, standing nearly two stories tall like that, "The small animals are all gone."

A few started at her appearance and words. Lana turned and scanned the ground, frowning as she noticed that there was no constant movement there like normal, the one iguana was the only thing left and the fat thing seemed stuck on the roof. The Brahmin too, even the moose with their deer fawn seemed to be at alert and looking towards the south as well.

"Lucy," Deegan turned suddenly to the other young woman, his voice taking an authoritative note automatically, "Does your family have enough rad-x and rad-away for all of you... for about four to five days at least?"

Lucy paled a bit at that estimated time, shaking her head, "Maybe rad-x for a few days… but not that long."

"Then they need to get here, and into the bunker with you and Lana."

"I'm guessing that's a local rad storm?" Lana guessed looking at the distant , "Are they that bad?"

"Not all," Jack shook his head but pointed, "But that's coming from the Glowing Sea, or another storm merging with it. That will be stronger than normal."

"That's the kind of storm that will turn you into a ghoul girls," Noel worried, holding Megan's hand as she paled under her scarring. They liked these girls, who were kind enough to take them in after a day. No tax or demanding a collateral for 'just in case,' only just making sure they were truthful about their skills. "We need to get you somewhere safe. What bunker is this Edward?"

Deegan shifted, his left arm wrapping a moment around Lana as she reached over her shoulder and then grasped the back of her neck at what she heard, "It's in the church there… the roof looked to be in decent shape if we could cover the sides with that canvas and the signs you bought over yesterday…. We can put the moose cows and fawn in there with the new borns. The other brahmin can go in the trailer with anything sensitive in the back. And Buck into the main hall building again. We can get them all rad-away later, or dump it into their water, but as long as the rain water doesn't get on them they should be safe from burns."

Deegan gave Lana a squeeze and then let her go with a push and an order. "Lana, you and Lucy get all the plant starts and seeds that you don't want exposed to a lot of radiation into the bunker now. And your little critters. Use the Mr Handymen to help. Valory?"

The big Deathclaw shifted, finally looking away from the massive storm front and peered down, "What do you need EdWard?"

She was willing to help as he was helping her pack sister.

"I need your speed, can you get to the Abernathys? Tell them to shut down their generator, pack up and get here with whatever food supplies they have. If you can easily grab any substantial hunt on the way back, they and the girls here could use it below. We can see how much time we have left."

"I'll shut down the generator here," Noel realized the treat of emps with that kind of storm with the reminder.

"Not right this second," Jack moved with his brother to get some of the canvas sheets and old signage that had been brought over already, "Let the water purifier work as long as we can to give them as much water as possible during the storm. Why don't you get the sealed water barrels to the chapel?"

"I can do that." Noel nodded.

Valory gave a chirp of acknowledgement at the same time, turning and in one smooth motion she was suddenly gone. Moving with that unnerving speed her kind had. Like the dinosaurs of ages past, or dragons of myth, being able to move much faster than a human would think they could.

"Megan, I know you're stronger than you look, can you get those bags of razorgrain seeds down to the church on your own?" Deegan asked, the flicker of red in his eyes, for a moment his gaze seemed more solid rather than mixed as he became active himself, going up hill. "I'm going to help the brothers with tarping the sides of the building. We all can survive and thrive on this kind of radiation, but they can't."

"The animals could use the food too." Megan looked at the rabbit that she still held in her arms, feeling it shiver but not trashing. "I think….I can do this…. Mr. Deegan?"

"Yes?"

"Would .. would the Abernathys need someone to watch their place? Cover their plants?"

"Possibly," Edward nodded, finding the box of nails that had been found in Concord. "The lives of our friends first Megan. We need to get them down there, then maybe if it's not raining we can make sure their plants are covered and yours are on the museum roof are down."

"What was on the roof was moved down to the main floor yesterday afternoon." Megan admitted, watching Lana and Lucy swiftly move animals from pens into their orginal carrier cages. She hugged her fuzzy friend and moved to put the little doe away as well.

Deegan watched after for only a few moments, smiled and moved to pick up one of the ladders and hike it down to the chapel. It was a steady rush of things to do with thunder as a constant reminder. Edward guessed the storm front would fully hit them by late evening, though the normal humans would have to be underground by afternoon, 2pm at the very latest. It was only just…

Deegan checked his watch.

Only just 8:30am, they all had an early start to the morning with being able to sleep most of the night thanks to Valory standing guard.

They could do this with some order.

Lana was a steadier calm that Lucy could and did use to help herself. The big mega storms like this happened only once or twice a year, but she hated it so much. There was almost always a total loss of all their crops, and times like this meant being sick on chems that helped with the rads.

Yet she was able to stay calm as Lana beside her was. And… They were making good time. Lana had the Mr.. Handymen robots running the animal cages down then packing the starter pots, cups, mugs, all things that plants count start, in before moving those in the hand held baskets brought from the museum.

Everyone had laughed at how many Lana had slung on Buck while he was loaded with bags of razorgrain already. Those baskets Megan had made over the years were an amazing help right then.

Now Lucy was as glad as

Animals, plants, water and razorgrain bags were brought down to the church, then down into the bunker itself. Both young women were exceedingly grateful for the ghouls members of the group. Noel was hardly the strongest but he could heft water barrels, full, up and over a shoulder in one smooth motion where it took both Lana and Lucy struggling to pass the same barrel down the hatch to him below.

Lana paused in a trip back into the 'main hall' building, where she led Buck into half an hour earlier, staring at the fridge for a moment. She moved over and behind the appliance to take out the power core that was used to run in the fridge, intending on using it to set up and power the fridge in the bunker if Valory found a deer or something. She also got her traveling hotplate and its power source to take down, with her favorite cooking pan and canteens.

As the Abernathys were starting to show up, Lana was climbing up one of the old porches where that big iguanas still was, possibly frozen in fear or giving up. Reaching up she grabbed it and pulled an extra canvas cloth bag over it's head, front and body. She almost fell, but managed to get the lizard down and into the bag. Tying the top off to come down in the bunker with them, no other creatures were around that Lana could see, it was just the fat iguana female.

Now it was just getting the supplies that Clarabelle was carrying down into the selter, and then getting the rest of the bigger animals into shelter. Getting water from the dam and pouring the animal rad-away into it for them during the storm. The adults could survive going the time without food, but the nursing cow needed extra water as they used up fat reserves.

Lana thanked whatever gods were left that Luna and Grace had not dropped their own calves just yet.

If there was going to be as much radiation with the rain, then there would also be an explosion of radexes moss growth. That could be eaten for the cows once the excess was gathered. While the last of the supplies were brought down into the bunker- Blake and Connie had a full harvest and all the small plant starts of tatos they were growing for the Co-Op and their own expansion. The last of the large canvas signs were being nailed up over the lack of windows...Lana lingered topside herself.

Making a point to nail a few bags up in the trees filled with a mix of dirt, fertilizer and the plugs for the mushrooms that helped make rad-x from her home. The storm would help them grow like the moss. She had to calm Buck down, before showing the others where her stash of animal rad-away was. To be used for Clarabelle, who would be the most sensitive after the pregnant moose and the new borns.

Lana lingered still in the church as it approached 1:30p, the last of the unaltered humans topside. It was noticeably darker now, not just from the blocked windows, but the sky was darkening like it was becoming night. Lana stepped out the main door, peering through an overlapping fold in the thick fabric, as much fascinated as worried as she watched the flashes of green lightning, the clearer thunder claps that almost had a metallic edge to it.

A huffing had her look back to the open space of the church. The old pews moved to the sides of the open space, arranged to make it hard for the young calves and fawns to try and climb out a window. She wanted to stay up, seeing signs of Luna getting ready for giving birth as the tall cow nosed around.

There was a footstep and she felt arms wrap around her.

"Go down Lana," Deegan rumbled in a low voice, giving a tight hug. "You showed me how to use the big needles, if there's a complication I'll send someone down for you."

"Luna might give birth during the storm." Lana worried, looking up at Edward. The man hummed as he stepped forward, pulling the young woman with him as he closed the main door.

"She hasn't started labor as far as I can tell." Deegan estimated, "You said the moose were like brahmin? She might be able to hold the process for the few days of the storm."

"If she can't?" Lanna fussed, stepping over to offer her hands to the darker colored cow, rubbing the long face that was dipped down for comfort. Giving or wanting it was hard to tell, maybe both. "I...don't want to lose her calves Uncle, I could manage with losing one but she's been bred to a buck that was retiring soon. The calves are how I'm supposed to bring things home. What if Grace loses her calves too?"

Seeing the moment of worry, fear, just a moment of a scared youth that had Deegan reaction. Granted Lana was no child but he had raised enough kids since the bombs had dropped to react. Stooping down, Edward pulled Lana into a proper hug, reassuringly tight, and not uncomfortable with the lack of chest plate in the way.

"They won't, we'll help as much as we can, they have rad away in their water and I'll check them for you every day for signs of radiation poisoning." The scarred man turned Lana around, walking with her to the hatch "We have a plan to give them some rad-away by IV every couple days. But as long as you stay calm, they do as well. They have the best chances in here after all."

Lana took a deep breath, "Promise you'll get me if anything happens to the moose?"

"I swear Lana." Deegan promised as he ran a hand over the short strawberry blond hair, smoothing a calloused thumb on the girl's cheek. "If anything is remotely wrong I'll come get you, but we'll make sure they're as good as possible. Take care of yourself young lady, and your small critters. You need to get out of the rads. If you want something to do, check the main entrance for any stray people that might be caught out."

That seemed to make Lana think of something other than her worries, not forget but had her thinking.

Edward nudged Lana and helped her down the hatch before closing and sealing it behind here.

They still had a few hours before the rain… maybe they could get some of the mature tato plants under cover after all.

The group were not the only ones bunkering down, as across the Commonwealth in homesteads, small settlements, and the bigger city like areas, were doing much the same. Covering everything they could to save crops, animals and most people trying to get either underground or deep inside the solid buildings.

In the Slog those that lived there were dumping barrels of a potent, fermented 'chem wine' into the pool that had their Tarberry farm. Saving the plants and their valuable berries, not that the rads would affect the ghouls living there. But the plants were their main source of income to unaltered humans.

Wild brahmin found hiding places to settle in the ruins of the old cities. While other animals burrowed or hid inside hollowed trees as well as the buildings.

In Boston, on one of the still standing buildings a figure stood on a roof top. Walking from the stairs to get a better look at the storm as below, on street level, his people were getting organized for any last minute things.

Cigarette smoke trailed after him in the growing dark of the storm as the scarred man stopped a few feet short of the rooftop edge. He could feel the first wave of warmth that came rolling past with the thunder. The kind of warmth that heated you up from the inside out.

Only the scarred ghouls were outside now, finishing up the storm prep work. Those Watch men that could not be out in the storm were helping to keep the drifters and homeless calm and on best behavior inside.

He sighed, the smoke escaping through his lips mostly and trailing up around the dark tri-corn hat before the breeze started. His jacket was different than normal, as his normal red was being washed and patched that day, this long jacket was well oiled against the rain that would come.

Fingers twitched as he mentally listed what has been done so far. What he was prioritized in the building under him, though still taking care of the adult strays in the old State House.

It was strange, having a new kind of responsibility like this. Though it did benefit his town on a whole, the expansion that happened last year and the next one he was planning now…

There were light footsteps coming up behind the darkly dressed man. "Boss?"

"You shouldn't be up here MacCready," The man said, watching his cigarette go down and debated pulling another one to light. "Not unless you want to look like my handsome mug."

The younger man grinned, cheeky and winced at another roll of thunder. "I'm more resistant than other focks. The kids are safe, but Grandma and Auntie are getting restless. I think you might need to check in on them."

He sighed and moved to turn, dark eyes squinting at the sky for a moment as he debated on the feeling he was sensing. Shooing the human inside ahead of him. It was something that was off, not from the storm but… something.

Though the storm did affect more than a few things. One such thing was forcing a group of Minutemen to divert their path, hiding in a building and missing a roaming pack of feral ghouls that would have done much to hurt and kill off the group. Another thing that was that the storm disrupted a remote signal that would have woken up someone from their slumbering prison.

But the signal was not all there, enough so that the Vault computer systems over rode what was sent in. Clearly the message was broken up, and surely if there was a signal to start thawing out the pods it would be clearer. It was like before, surly, the computer systems would go by its hard line codes in the vault. The pods and who were inside were all staying safe as they had been over the centuries.

.


End file.
